Stephen Chadwick Jenkins (born December 22, 1987) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

Career

Jenkins played high school baseball at Cherokee High School in Georgia. Jenkins attended

Kennesaw State University Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a public research university located in the state of Georgia with two different campuses in the Atlanta metropolitan area, one in Kennesaw and the other in Marietta on a combined of land. The school was fou ...

, where he played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

for the

Owls Owls are birds from the Order (biology), order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly Solitary animal, solitary and Nocturnal animal, nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vi ...

under head coach Mike Sansing. As a junior, Jenkins was named the A-Sun Pitcher of the Year after going 8–1 with a 2.54 ERA, along with a 9.6 K/9, and a 1.03 WHIP.

Toronto Blue Jays

Jenkins was selected in the first round (20th overall) of the 2009 MLB draft by the

, and was given a $1,359,000 signing bonus. ''Baseball America'' ranked Jenkins as the Blue Jays 3rd best prospect going into 2010. Jenkins was called up to the Blue Jays on August 5, 2012, after posting a record of 5-9 with a 4.96 ERA in Double-A. Jenkins made his major league debut on August 7, 2012, throwing the last 3 innings in a 4-1 loss to the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

. He surrendered only 2 hits, while striking out 2 and not issuing a walk. Jenkins was called up from the Double-A

New Hampshire Fisher Cats The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major league club. During the team's first seas ...

by the Blue Jays on May 11, 2013. He was optioned down to the Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

on June 1. After a stint on the disabled list, he was optioned down to the Fisher Cats on August 10. Jenkins was recalled by the Blue Jays on August 24. Jenkins was optioned to the Buffalo Bisons on March 16, 2014, and recalled on April 26. He was recalled for the fourth time in the 2014 season on June 3, and for the fifth time on July 31. Jenkins pitched 6 shutout innings in relief of

Mark Buehrle Mark Alan Buehrle (; born March 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Chicago White Sox, playing twelve seasons for the team and winning the World S ...

on August 10 and earned the win, 6–5, after a 19-inning marathon against the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

. The game was the longest in Blue Jays franchise history in terms of both innings and time elapsed (6 hours, 37 minutes). Jenkins was optioned back to Buffalo on August 16, and was recalled to Toronto on August 27, 2014. On September 4, Jenkins was hit by a ball during batting practice while in the outfield shagging fly balls. It broke his right hand, ending his season. Jenkins was optioned to the Buffalo Bisons on March 25, 2015. He was recalled on May 3, and returned to Buffalo on May 8. On September 11, Jenkins was called up by the Blue Jays. On February 6, 2016, Jenkins was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays to make room on the 40-man roster for

Gavin Floyd Gavin Christopher Floyd (born January 27, 1983), is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, and Toronto Blue ...

. He was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo on February 12. Jenkins was invited to Major League spring training, and was assigned to minor league camp on March 25. On June 30, Jenkins was released.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Chad 1987 births Living people Sportspeople from Chattanooga, Tennessee Baseball players from Tennessee Major League Baseball pitchers Toronto Blue Jays players Kennesaw State Owls baseball players Gulf Coast Blue Jays players Lansing Lugnuts players Dunedin Blue Jays players New Hampshire Fisher Cats players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players American expatriate baseball players in Canada