IP | 9 |
---|---|
ERA | 11 |
WHIP | 2.444 |
BB/9 | 13 |
SO/9 | 4 |
- Full name Deunte Raymon Heath
- Born 08/28/1985 in Atlanta, GA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Tennessee
- Debut 09/01/2012
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Drafted in the 19th round (580th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2006 (signed for $245,000).
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Tennessee reliever Deunte Heath isn't as raw as Solomon, but he's similarly inconsistent. He'll warm up with composure and nasty stuff--a 89-91 mph fastball and an above-average slider--but rarely holds his velocity or command in game action. He has an athletic body to go along with a free and easy arm action and relatively clean delivery. He had a huge fall in 2004 prior to his sophomore season at Lake City (Fla.) Community College but has not been able to build on that success.
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Heath was drafted by the Mets out of high school and the Devil Rays and Angels out of Lake City (Fla.) CC before signing with the Braves for $245,000 as a 19th-round pick in 2006. He rode his fastball to Triple-A by the end of 2009, but Atlanta released him the following spring after he was caught in a prostitution sting during spring training. Since signing with the White Sox, club officials and coaches have given him high marks for his conduct. Heath throws 91-95 mph and pushes the upper 90s with his fastball, which features riding life. He backs it up with a slider more notable for its low-80s velocity than its bite. Charlotte needed him in a starter's role last year and he made the most of it, and he pitched well out of the rotation in the Venezuelan League. Chicago prefers him in the bullpen, however, because neither his curveball nor his changeup qualifies as an effective offspeed pitch and his control remains shaky after five years in pro ball. His strong winter performance landed him on the Sox's 40-man roster in November and put him in line to make his major league debut at some point in 2012. Until he throws more strikes, he won't be trusted as more than a middle reliever.