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.
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.
