Joshua David Sharpless is a 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...

 right-handed relief pitcher

Relief pitcher

A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...

 who is currently a free agent

Free agent

In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....

. Sharpless grew up in the greater Pittsburgh area, attending Freedom High School

Freedom High School (Pennsylvania)

Freedom High School is a public high school, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. Freedom is one of two public high schools in the Bethlehem Area School District. It is located at 3149 Chester Avenue, Bethlehem Township.The total...

 in Freedom, Pennsylvania

Freedom, Pennsylvania

Freedom is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Ohio River northwest of Pittsburgh. In the early years of the twentieth century, the chief industries were the production of oil, caskets, and monuments. In 1900, 1,783 people lived in Freedom; in 1910, 3,060 people...

. Drafted in the 24th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft

2003 Major League Baseball Draft

The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...

 out of Allegheny College

Allegheny College

Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...

, he progressed through the Pirates minor league

Minor league

Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...

 system in three years.

He reached the majors on August 1, , when trade-deadline moves left openings in the major league roster. He made his first appearance on August 2, 2006. Sharpless continued to live in the Pittsburgh area year-round while playing for the Pirates.

After being released by the Pirates on March 31, , Sharpless signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 on April 10, 2008. After becoming a free agent following the 2008 season, Sharpless signed with the York Revolution

York Revolution

The York Revolution is an American professional baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...

 of the Atlantic League

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball

The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...

 for the 2009 season.

He continues to live in the Pittsburgh area and gives pitching lessons to area high schoolers.

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