Long Beach State University Athletics
Yankees Call Up Pinder, Dirtbags' 46th Alumnus In the MLB
4/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
UPDATE: Branden Pinder made his major league debut on April 15, 2015 and pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the Yankees' 7-5 loss to the Orioles.
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Pitcher Branden Pinder was called up by the New York Yankees today to become the 46th Long Beach State alumnus to reach the major leagues. Pinder was added to the Yankees' 40-man roster last summer after making his Triple-A debut in 2014.
Pinder has appeared twice out of the bullpen for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year, tossing three scoreless innings and striking out five without allowing a walk. He has a 2.92 career ERA in all levels of the minor leagues in 216 innings pitches -- most of which came out of the bullpen.
Pinder was the 16th round selection of the Yankees in the 2011 draft, following his senior season. He was a two-year starter at Long Beach State after transferring from Santa Ana College.
He has played his entire professional career in the Yankees organization, starting at Single-A Short Season in the summer of 2011. He went between the Yankees' High-A and Double-A clubs in both 2012 and 2013. Last year, he had a 2-0 record with a 0.56 ERA and five saves at Double-A before being moved up to the Triple-A roster.
Pinder was the second Dirtbag to be called up to an MLB club on Wednesday as the Angels also called up Adam Wilk from their Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City, Utah. There are now a total of 14 Dirtbags in Major League Baseball in 2015.
