Mitchel Blake Stetter (born January 16, 1981) is an American former 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 ...
and current
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
. 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
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
.
College
Stetter attended
Indiana State University
Indiana State University (ISU) is a public university in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was founded in 1865 and offers over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 75 graduate and professional programs. Indiana State is classified among "D/PU: Doctor ...
, where he was a
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 ...
. In 2001 and 2002, he played
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 ...
with the
Cotuit Kettleers
The Cotuit Kettleers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in the village of Cotuit, Massachusetts, which is in the southwest corner of the town of Barnstable. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the lea ...
of the
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...
. He was then drafted in the 16th round (459th overall) by the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
in the
2003 Major League Baseball Draft. Stetter led the Sycamores in strikeouts and innings pitched in three seasons and once in wins. He finished his college career fifth in strikeouts and innings pitched and holds the record for the most hit batters in a season for Sycamore baseball with 32.
Major league career
Milwaukee Brewers
Stetter made his major league debut on September 1, , against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
.
On September 29, 2007, Stetter picked up his first major league
win against the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
and his former minor league and college teammate
Joe Thatcher
Joseph Andrew Thatcher (born October 4, 1981) is an American college baseball coach and former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim an ...
.
Stetter was up and down between the Brewers and Triple A Nashville during the 2008 season. He was added to the Brewers postseason roster, where he was a left-handed specialist, striking out of
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard (born November 19, 1979), nicknamed "the Big Piece", is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Howard spent his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, from to . He is ...
and
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978), nicknamed "The Man" and "Silver Fox", is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. He ...
.
On April 17, 2009, Stetter gave up
Gary Sheffield's 500th career home run.
On June 17, 2009, Stetter set a record by retiring his 10th and 11th consecutive batters by strikeout. This was a memorable day for Stetter as he also recorded his one and only save in major league
baseball. In the bottom of the 11th, Stetter struck out the last to Indians batters to preserve a wild 9-8 Brewers victory. As of June 25, 2009, the last 15 batters Stetter has retired have been by strikeout followed by a fly out to Corey Hart ending the streak.
On November 15, 2011, Stetter refused a minor league assignment and elected to become a free agent.
Texas Rangers
He signed a minor league contract with the
Texas Rangers on January 23, 2012. He also received an invitation to spring training. However, he was released on March 26.
Second Stint with Brewers
Stetter re-signed with the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
on a minor league deal on April 11, 2012.
In 5 seasons with the Brewers, Stetter went 8-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 132 games with 89 strikeouts in 86 innings.
Los Angeles Angels
On November 8, 2012, Stetter signed a minor league deal with the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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 ...
with an invitation to spring training; Stetter has spent the 2013 season with the
Salt Lake City Bees
The Salt Lake City Bees was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams, based in Salt Lake City, Utah between 1911 and 1970 under various names. After minor league baseball first began in Salt Lake City in 1900, the Bees were long-time ...
, the Angels' Triple-AAA affiliate.
Coaching career
Stetter retired in February 2014 and accepted position as a coach in the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
organization.
Stetter was selected to be pitching coach for the Surprise Saguaros during the 2017 Arizona Fall League season.
Stetter was named as the Pitching Coach for the
Lexington Legends
The Lexington Legends are an American professional baseball team based in Lexington, Kentucky. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league" of Major League Baseball. The Legends have ...
for the 2019 season.
He was named the bullpen coach for the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
for the 2023 season.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stetter, Mitch
1981 births
Living people
People from Huntingburg, Indiana
People from Dubois County, Indiana
Baseball coaches from Indiana
Baseball players from Indiana
Major League Baseball pitchers
Milwaukee Brewers players
Indiana State Sycamores baseball players
Cotuit Kettleers players
Helena Brewers players
Beloit Snappers players
High Desert Mavericks players
Huntsville Stars players
Arizona League Brewers players
Nashville Sounds players
Salt Lake Bees players
Arizona League Angels players
Scottsdale Scorpions players
Peoria Javelinas players
Minor league baseball coaches