Donald Ray Welchel is a former right-handed Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 pitcher who played for the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 in 1982 and 1983.

Prior to playing professionally, he attended Lake Highlands High School

Lake Highlands High School

Lake Highlands High School is a secondary school serving grades 10-12 located in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, Texas, United States, primarily serving the Lake Highlands community. The school is part of the Richardson Independent School District and is located centrally within Lake Highlands...

 in Dallas, Texas

Dallas, Texas

Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...

, and then Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...

. He was originally drafted in the 10th round of the 1975 draft by the Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

, however he didn't sign. He was next drafted by the Orioles in the seventh round of the 1978 draft, signing that time. He was signed by scout Ray Crone

Ray Crone

Raymond Hayes Crone was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Braves from 1954 to 1957 and the New York/San Francisco Giants from 1957 to 1958.-Early life and career:...

.

Welchel made his big league debut on September 15, 1982, against the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

. As a relief pitcher, he earned the win in his first big league game. He spent one more game in the big leagues that season, going a combined 1-0 with an 8.31 ERA. In 1983, he made 11 relief appearances for the Orioles, going 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA. On May 31 he appeared in his final game.

Overall, Welchel spent 13 games in the big leagues over two years, going 1-2 with a 5.81 ERA. In 31 innings he allowed 39 hits and 12 walks, while striking out 19.

Welchel also spent 11 seasons pitching in the minor leagues, from 1978 to 1988, going a combined 93-87 with a 3.64 ERA in 267 games (217 starts). In 1981, pitching for the Charlotte O's and Rochester Red Wings

Rochester Red Wings

The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...

, he went 14-8 with a 2.86 ERA.