Potential Call-Ups: Kevin Whelan

A hard-throwing righty, Kevin Whelan began his professional career in the Detroit Tigers organization. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, the Texas A & M product and college catcher was sent to the Yankees with pitchers Anthony Claggett and Humberto Sanchez in exchange for outfielder Gary Sheffield. Whelan spent much of 2007 in AA Trenton, compiling a respectable 2.98 ERA in 31 games (30 relief appearances), as well as a strong K/IP ratio of 68 in just 54 1/3 innings because of his sharp low to mid-90s fastball and a nasty splitter. Yet control problems resulted in the 6’, 200 lb. righty being sent down to high-A Tampa to improve command over his fastball, having walked a whopping 42 batters in Trenton in 2007. Whelan experienced an elbow injury during Winter ball before the 2008 season, and found himself on the DL midway through the 2008 campaign. Back and healthy in 2009, Whelan thrived at both Trenton and later AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre, overwhelming batters to r...