James Alston Paxton (born November 6, 1988), nicknamed "The Big Maple", is a Canadian professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
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 ...
for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
of
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). He previously played in MLB for the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
and
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
.
Paxton 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
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 ...
. He was drafted in the fourth round of the
2010 MLB draft
The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
First-round selections
The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team pic ...
by the Mariners and made his MLB debut for them in 2013. On May 8, 2018, Paxton pitched a
no-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
against 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 ...
, becoming the first Canadian major league pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Canada. Following the 2018 season, Paxton was traded to the Yankees.
Amateur career
North Delta Blue Jays
Paxton attended
Delta Secondary School in
Ladner,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. He played for the
North Delta Blue Jays
The Delta Blue Jays, are a Canadian youth baseball team located in the city of Delta, British Columbia. The team was founded in 1995, and joined the B.C. Premier Baseball League in 1999. The team plays their home games at Mackie Park.
Most of the ...
of the
British Columbia Premier Baseball League
The British Columbia Premier Baseball League, commonly referred to as the BCPBL or the PBL, is a competitive youth baseball league consisting of 13 teams located throughout British Columbia, Canada. Over the years, the BCPBL has served as a tal ...
(PBL) and for Team Canada at the Junior National level. In his junior year, Paxton won 10 games and had a 1.51
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) to go along with 100
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s in 78
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
. This led to him being named the top pitcher of the PBL and a first-team All-Star. After starting his senior year injured, Paxton finished the year with a 7–1
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
and 65 strikeouts and 32
walks in 50 innings pitched.
Both years Paxton and the Blue Jays won the league title and the B.C.'s Best Tournament.
University of Kentucky
After graduating from high school in 2006, Paxton attended the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
, 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
Kentucky Wildcats baseball
The Kentucky Wildcats baseball team represents the University of Kentucky in NCAA Division I college baseball and competes in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The current head coach of the Wildcats is Nick Mingione.
Ke ...
team in the
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...
(SEC).
As a freshman, he led the Wildcats in appearances with 25 and had a 2–0 record in relief with one
save.
In 2008 as a sophomore, Paxton worked his way into the starting rotation midway through the season and earned 11 starts while making 17 appearances. He finished the year 4–2 with a 2.92 ERA.
That same year Paxton pitched a complete-game shutout over
Ole Miss to win the SEC Tournament earning him SEC Pitcher of the Week.
Due to injury, he did not participate in the NCAA Tournament.
That summer Paxton was invited to play
collegiate summer baseball
Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...
in the
Alaska Baseball League
The Alaska Baseball League (ABL) is an amateur collegiate summer baseball league. Players in the league must have attended one year of college and must have one year of NCAA eligibility remaining.
The Midnight Sun Game, held at Growden Memorial ...
where he pitched in four games with three starts, finishing with a 1–0 record and a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings. He struck out 12 batters and allowed opponents to hit just .179 against him.
Paxton started 13 games in 2009, finishing 5–3 with 115 strikeouts (5th best in school history) in innings. He drew the attention of
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), ...
scouts as he was considered a possible first-round draft pick.
Paxton was drafted by 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 ...
in the first round (37th overall) of the
2009 Major League Baseball Draft. However, he did not sign with the Blue Jays opting to return to Kentucky for his senior season; the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
subsequently ruled him ineligible, stemming from his contract with agent Scott Boras.
Paxton was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year he was at Kentucky. He held a 3.3 GPA heading into his senior year as an accounting major.
Professional career
Grand Prairie AirHogs
After being ruled ineligible to return to Kentucky, Paxton signed with the
Grand Prairie AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
in the
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
in 2010. There, he went 1–2 with a 4.08 ERA and striking out 18 batters in innings.
Seattle Mariners
In June 2010, Paxton was drafted by the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
in the fourth round of the
2010 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
First-round selections
The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team pic ...
. He signed with the Mariners on March 4, 2011. In the 2011 season, Paxton played for Single A
Clinton LumberKings
The Clinton LumberKings are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Clinton, Iowa, and play their home games at NelsonCorp Field. From 1956 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's Midwest Lea ...
and the
Double A Jackson Generals
The Jackson Generals were a professional baseball team located in Jackson, Tennessee. From 1998 to 2020, they were a part of Minor League Baseball's Southern League (1964–2020), Southern League (SL) as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliat ...
of the
Southern League. He finished with a 6–3 win–loss record, 2.37 ERA, 131 strikeouts, and 43
walks in 95
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
, while allowing an opposing
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
of .215. Paxton, along with
Alex Liddi
Alessandro Liddi (born August 14, 1988) is an Italian professional baseball third and first baseman who is a free agent. Liddi played for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2011 through 2013, and for the Chinatrust Brothers ...
, represented the Mariners at the 2011
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National League ...
. Paxton was invited to attend the Mariners' main
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
camp in 2012, but did not make the opening day roster.
He was sent to the Jackson Generals.
In 2013, Paxton played for the
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960. ...
of the
Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
. With the Mariners' coaching staff, he worked to change his pitching mechanics to mirror that of
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) . He has played for the Dodgers for the entirety of his MLB career. A left-handed starting p ...
, resulting in an improvement in his performance. On September 3, 2013, Paxton was promoted to the major leagues. His first major league appearance came on September 7 when he started against 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 earned the win as the Mariners won 6–2. Paxton finished with a 3–0 record in 4 starts.
Paxton began the 2014 season in the Mariners rotation, but after his first start of the season, he was placed on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
. He would finish the season appearing in only 13 starts due to an extended stint on the disabled list. His injury woes would continue into the 2015 season, during which he would appear in only 13 starts for the second consecutive season. In 2016, Paxton was in competition for a rotation spot in spring training, but after posting an ERA of over 9, he was optioned to AAA. He was recalled a few months later after
Félix Hernández
Félix Abraham Hernández García (born April 8, 1986), nicknamed "King Félix", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners from 2005 through 2019.
On August 15, 2 ...
landed on the disabled list.
Paxton started the 2017 season for the Mariners with 0.00 ERA over his first three starts. He won the
American League Player of the Week Award for April 10–16 after pitching a combined 15 scoreless innings in two wins. On May 5, 2017, Paxton was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a left forearm strain. Paxton pitched exceedingly well in July, going 6–0. He and
Adrián Beltré
Adrián Beltré Pérez (born April 7, 1979) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman. During his career, Beltré played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers ...
were the co-winners of the American League Player of the Week Award for July 24–30, and he was also the
AL Pitcher of the Month for July. However, on August 10, Paxton strained his left pectoral muscle pitching against the
LA Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
, putting him on the disabled list once again. He tied for the major league lead in wild pitches, with 15.
In 2018, before his start against the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
, Paxton gained national media attention when a
bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
, which had been participating in a patriotic
pre-game ceremony
A pre-game ceremony or pre-match ceremony is an on-field ceremony occurring before a sporting event. Such ceremonies may celebrate a past event, honour a retiring athlete, commemorate a deceased athlete, or promote a cause.
Celebrating past event ...
, flew around and landed on Paxton. Paxton, who reacted calmly, later stated, "No, I wasn't going to run. I figured I'm not going to outrun an eagle, so I might as well see what happens." On May 2, 2018, against the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
, Paxton struck out a career-high 16 batters, but the bullpen behind him faltered, and the Mariners lost 3–2.
On May 8, 2018, Paxton threw a
no-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
against 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 ...
at
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it ...
. He threw 99 pitches while issuing three walks in a 5–0 victory, becoming the second Canadian to throw a no-hitter (the first was
Dick Fowler of the
Philadelphia Athletics
The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...
, pitching against the
St. Louis Browns
The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they ...
on September 9, 1945). He is also the first Canadian Major League pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Canada, and the first Seattle Mariners pitcher to throw a no-hitter in a road game. He was placed on the disabled list on July 13, 2018, with a back injury. He finished the season 11–6 with a 3.76 ERA.
New York Yankees
![James Paxton (40573399583)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/James_Paxton_%2840573399583%29.jpg)
On November 19, 2018, the Mariners traded Paxton to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
for
Justus Sheffield
Justus Kane Sheffield (born May 13, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees.
He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in ...
,
Dom Thompson-Williams
Dominique Danton Thompson-Williams (born April 21, 1995) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent.
Career
Thompson-Williams attended East High School in Sioux City, Iowa. In 2013, he was named the state's hi ...
, and
Erik Swanson
Erik Donald Swanson (born September 4, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners.
Amateur career
Swanson attended Mariemon ...
. In April 2019, Paxton became only the second Yankees pitcher (after
David Cone
David Brian Cone (born January 2, 1963) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, and current color commentator for the New York Yankees on the YES Network and WPIX as well as for ESPN on Sunday Night Baseball.[Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...]
. In his first start of the season on April 6, 2021 against the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
, Paxton threw only 24 pitches before being removed from the game with left elbow discomfort. Two days later on April 8, it was announced that
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
was recommended for Paxton. On April 13, the Mariners announced that Paxton would undergo the procedure, ending his season. He underwent the surgery in late April.
Boston Red Sox
On December 1, 2021, Paxton signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
that included a two-year club option. On March 16, 2022, the Red Sox placed Paxton on the 60-day injured list, as he continued his recovery from surgery. Paxton did not pitch for the Red Sox during the 2022 season. Following the season, the team announced that Paxton exercised his $4 million player option to remain a member of the Red Sox for the 2023 season.
Pitching style
A power pitcher with a long stride and a release from a closed position that hides most of his deliveries, comparable to a faster version of
Andy Petitte, Paxton relies on a four-seam fastball that ranges in velocities in the high 90s miles per hour (MPH). He also complements his four-seam fastball with a cutter (high 80s MPH) and a
knuckle curve
In Major League history, the term knuckle curve or knuckle curveball has been used to describe three entirely different pitches. All are unrelated to the similar sounding knuckleball.
The first, more modern and commonly used pitch called the kn ...
(low 80s MPH). He has decreased the use of his sinker/changeup. His strikeout pitches are high fastballs and a low inside knuckle curve against right-handers. His increased usage of knuckle curves on the first pitch of at bats limited the number of hits and runs that he allowed during the end of the 2019 season. However, his glove position pre-pitch made it easy for a knuckle curve to be tipped, so he now puts the glove sideways while wriggling the ball and the glove.
Personal
Paxton and his wife, Katie, reside in
Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. A suburb east of Seattle, its population was 92,175 in the 2020 U.S. census which made it the sixth largest city in the county and the twelfth largest in the state.
The city's downto ...
during the offseason.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
Below is a list of Major League Baseball no-hitters, enumerating every no-hitter pitched in Major League Baseball history. In addition, all no-hitters that were broken up in extra innings or were in shortened games are listed, although they are no ...
References
External links
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paxton, James
1988 births
Arkansas Travelers players
Baseball people from British Columbia
Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States
Clinton LumberKings players
Everett AquaSox players
Grand Prairie AirHogs players
Jackson Generals (Southern League) players
Kentucky Wildcats baseball players
Living people
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball players from Canada
New York Yankees players
People from Delta, British Columbia
Peoria Javelinas players
Seattle Mariners players
Tacoma Rainiers players
Anchorage Glacier Pilots players