Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Aiming at the Major League

Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Ryan Ketchner was born deaf. Hearing aids give the left-hander about 10% hearing ability, The 25-year-old non-roster invitee is at the Blue Jays training camp in Florida, hoping to make the team. Ketchner was Seattle's 10th-round pick in the 2000 draft and earned the USA Deaf Sports Federation male athlete of the year in 2003. He had a 3.45 earned-run average and won playoff MVP honours for the California League-champion Inland Empire 66ers. In 2004, he was a Southern League all-star with Double-A Jacksonville. But arm trouble lead to surgery in 2005. Now, he’s back vying for a spot on the roster. If Ketchner makes it to the big leagues, he would be the first deaf major league pitcher in one hundred years.