Mitchell Shane Atkins (born October 1, 1985) is an American 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

High Point Rockers The High Point Rockers are an American professional baseball team based at Truist Point ballpark in High Point, North Carolina, which is part of the Piedmont Triad region. They are members of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Profession ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...

. He has previously 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

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

and

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

, and in the

Chinese Professional Baseball League The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 20 ...

(CPBL) for the

Lamigo Monkeys The Rakuten Monkeys (), formerly First Financial Holdings Agan (, abbreviated ), La New Bears () and then the Lamigo Monkeys (), are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. Owned and administer ...

. Atkins played high school baseball at

Northeast Guilford High School Northeast Guilford High School is a secondary school located in McLeansville, North Carolina. The school serves grades nine through twelve, with an enrollment of 1265 students for the 2007 school year. Demographically, the school serves primarily ...

McLeansville, North Carolina McLeansville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,021 at the 2010 census. Geography McLeansville is located in eastern Guilford County at . It is ...

. He originally committed to

Elon University Elon University is a private university in Elon, North Carolina. Founded in 1889 as Elon College, Elon is organized into six schools, most of which offer bachelor's degrees and several of which offer master's degrees or professional doctorate d ...

, but was drafted by the Cubs as the 216th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2004 MLB Draft.

Professional career

Chicago Cubs

Atkins was drafted by the

in the 7th round, 216th overall, of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft. After signing, Atkins made his professional debut for the

AZL Cubs The Arizona Complex League Cubs are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays it home games at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. The team is composed mainly of player ...

. In 2005, he played for the Low-A

Boise Hawks The Boise Hawks are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. Home games are played at Memorial Stadium in Garden City, Idaho, a small city surround ...

, recording a 3–6 record and 5.03 ERA in 15 appearances. He spent the 2006 season with the Single-A

Peoria Chiefs The Peoria Chiefs are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. The team was established in 1983 as the Peoria Suns. They are located in Peoria, Illinois, and are named for the Peori ...

, registering a 13–4 record and 2.41 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 25 games. He split the 2007 season between the Double-A

Tennessee Smokies The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Kodak, Tennessee, a suburb of Knoxville. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They play at Smokies Stadium, directly off Int ...

and the High-A

Daytona Cubs Daytona refers to the city of Daytona Beach, Florida, or things named after it. Daytona may also refer to: Locations * Daytona Beach Shores, Florida * South Daytona, Florida * The Daytona Beach metropolitan area * Halifax area, also known as Dayt ...

, accumulating a 9–8 record and 3.57 ERA in 141.0 innings of work. In 2008, Atkins split the year between Tennessee and the Triple-A

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. The ...

, pitching to a 17–7 record and 4.00 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 28 games. He began the 2009 season in Iowa. In his minor league career, Atkins was twice named the

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 ...

Pitcher of the Week and also was a Southern League All-Star (2008), Florida State League All-Star (2007), and a Midwest League All-Star (2006). He was believed to be the first MLB player from Guilford County NC schools since 1964. He made his Major League debut on July 29, 2009, against the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

. Atkins pitched two games during late July 2009, allowing no runs, but would not see a big league mound again until July 9, 2010, when he pitched a 1.1 innings in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. On September 21, 2010, Atkins was designated for assignment by the Cubs after recording a 6.30 ERA in 5 games. On November 6, 2010, Atkins elected free agency.

Baltimore Orioles

On November 15, 2010, Atkins signed a minor league contract with the

organization. On July 5, 2011, Atkins was selected to the active roster and made his first major league start in a loss against the Texas Rangers. After struggling to an 8.44 ERA in 3 games, on August 31, 2011, Atkins was outrighted off of the 40-man roster and was assigned to the Triple-A

Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...

Washington Nationals

He signed a minor league contract with the

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

on February 9, 2012. He spent the season with the Triple-A

Syracuse Chiefs Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

, recording a 6–9 record and 4.87 ERA. He elected free agency on November 2, 2012.

Atlanta Braves

After a short stint with the

Somerset Patriots The Somerset Patriots are an American Minor League Baseball team based in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, that is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They compete in the Eastern League, known as the Double-A Northeast in 2021, and ...

of the

, on June 3, 2013, the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

signed Atkins to a minor league deal. He spent the rest of the season with the Double–A

Mississippi Braves The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a Minor League Baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and plays in the Southern League. T ...

Texas Rangers

On December 31, 2014, he signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. He was released on March 31, 2015.

Lamigo Monkeys

Atkins signed to pitch for the

of the

but a few days before the season started he left the team and signed with the

of the

instead. Atkins won the

Taiwan Series Taiwan Series () is the championship series of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). It is usually played in late October or early November, after the regular season. It was formerly known as the ''CPBL Seasonal Championship Series'' () ...

with the Monkeys in 2015, pitching to a 8–7 record and 4.53 ERA in the regular season.

Boston Red Sox

On February 22, 2016, he signed a minor league 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 ...

, and played for their affiliate teams

Pawtucket Red Sox The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...

Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red ...

and

Lowell Spinners The Lowell Spinners were a baseball team based in Lowell, Massachusetts. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. With Major League ...

. He led the Eastern League in strikeouts, with 145, and elected free agency on November 7, 2016.

Somerset Patriots

On March 28, 2017, Atkins signed a 1-year contract with the

of the

New York Mets

On June 22, 2017, Atkins signed a minor league deal with the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

organization. He made 14 starts for the Triple–A Las Vegas 51s, posting a 4–8 record and 5.65 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 78.0 innings pitched. Atkins elected free agency following the season on November 6.

York Revolution

On April 11, 2018, Atkins signed with the

York Revolution The York Revolution is an American professional minor-league baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league, independent "partner lea ...

of the

. He registered a 12–7 record and 4.17 ERA in 25 games for York in 2018. Atkins re-signed with the team for the 2019 season. He pitched to an 11–6 record and 2.81 ERA for York in 2019 and became a free agent following the season.

Sultanes de Monterrey

Atkins played for the

Sultanes de Monterrey The Sultanes de Monterrey ( en, Monterrey Sultans) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Monterrey, Mexico. They compete in the Northern Division. The team also joined the Mexican Pacific League for the 2019–20 season f ...

of the

Mexican Pacific League The Mexican Pacific League (), known as Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons or simply LMP for its acronym in Spanish, is a professional baseball winter league based in Northern Mexico. The ten-team regular season schedule run ...

for the 2019-20 winter season. He later signed with their counterpart team in the

Mexican Baseball League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

(LMB) for the 2020 season. Atkins did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

High Point Rockers

On May 6, 2021, Atkins signed with the

of the

Sultanes de Monterrey (second stint)

On June 18, 2021, Atkins's contract was purchased by the

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. He was released on July 11, 2021.

High Point Rockers (second stint)

On August 1, 2021, Atkins re-signed with the

of the

. He made 8 total starts for the team, registering a 4.37 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 35.0 innings pitched. He became a free agent following the season. On August 11, 2022, Atkins re-signed with the

. In 6 starts for the team, he logged a 3–0 record and 4.91 ERA with 18 strikeouts across innings of work. Atkins became a free agent again following the season. On July 14, 2023, Atkins once more re–signed with the Rockers.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkins, Mitch 1985 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Mexico Arizona League Cubs players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball players from Guilford County, North Carolina Boise Hawks players Bowie Baysox players Chicago Cubs players Daytona Cubs players Frederick Keys players Gwinnett Braves players High Point Rockers players Iowa Cubs players Lamigo Monkeys players Lowell Spinners players Major League Baseball pitchers Mississippi Braves players Navegantes del Magallanes players Norfolk Tides players Pawtucket Red Sox players People from Browns Summit, North Carolina Peoria Chiefs players Portland Sea Dogs players Somerset Patriots players Sultanes de Monterrey players Syracuse Chiefs players Tennessee Smokies players Tigres del Licey players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic York Revolution players Las Vegas 51s players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela