All-Time LumberKings Pitchers

While the 2020 Clinton LumberKings season is on hold, we delve into the franchise’s deep history, building a 25-man roster of the best players to wear "LumberKings” across their chest since the franchise was renamed in 1994.

In this three-part series, we examine how the 25 best Clinton LumberKings players in history etched their name in Clinton professional baseball lore.

In this third and final part of the All-Time LumberKings series, we take a look at the 13 best pitchers in the LumberKings' era.

Starters

Derek Holland was a perfect 7-0 in 17 starts with the LumberKings in 2008, posting a minuscule 2.40 ERA in his second professional season. Holland was dominant during his 17 game stint in Clinton, striking out 91 batters in 93.2 innings of work while walking just 29 batters. Not only were Holland's numbers good enough to garner Midwest League All-Star honors, but Holland was also Low-Class A All-Star by Baseball America. The Newark, Ohio native was bumped up to the hitter-friendly California League, pitching in just five games with Bakersfield before finishing the season in Double-A Frisco.

Holland made his Major League Baseball debut the very next season, appearing in 33 games and making 21 starts for the Texas Rangers in his rookie season. In 11 big league seasons, Holland has won 78 games with 16 of them coming in the 2011 season, posting a 16-5 record with a 3.95 ERA with the Rangers.

Matt Clement pitched for the LumberKings during the 1996 season and appeared in 16 games, posting an 8-3 record with a 2.80 ERA while striking out 109 batters in 96.1 innings of work. Clement found himself in the big leagues two years later, making his Major League debut on September 22, 1998, with the San Diego Padres.

The Butler, Pennsylvania native appeared in 238 career games with the Padres, Marlins, Cubs, and Red Sox over the span of nine seasons from 1998 to 2006. Clement's best season came in 2003 with the Chicago Cubs, winning a career-high 14 games for a Cubs team that was one win away from the World Series.

Neftali Feliz made a name for himself in the big leagues as a reliever but began his career as a starting pitcher. Feliz was a member of the 2008 LumberKings and appeared in 17 games, all starts, in his third professional season, going 6-3 with a 2.52 ERA. In 82 innings, Feliz struck out 106 batters, walking just 28. Feliz started his professional career with the Atlanta Braves but was sent to the Texas Rangers in 2007 in a deal that involved five major leaguers, including Mark Teixeira. Prior to his season in Clinton, Feliz was rated as the 93rd best prospect in baseball according to Baseball America and by the time Feliz reached the big leagues in 2010, he was rated the ninth-best prospect.

The Azua, Dominican Republic native made his Major League debut in 2009 with the Texas Rangers and would spend seven seasons with Rangers from 2009 to 2015. Feliz earned an All-Star Game nod in his first full season with the Rangers in 2010, pitching in 70 games and finishing 59 of them Feliz nailed down 40 saves, a career-high, and struck out 71 batters in 69.2 innings on his way to earning the American League Rookie of the Year award. After his time with the Rangers, Feliz pitched for Detroit, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and Kansas City from 2015 to 2018.

Victor Sanchez was brilliant in his second professional season in 2013 posting a 6-6 record with a 2.78 ERA with the LumberKings. The 18-year old walked just 18 batters in 113.1 innings pitched and striking out 79. Sanchez became a LumberKings fan favorite on July 17, 2013, tossing a no-hitter against the Lansing Lugnuts.

The Caracas, Venezuela native went straight to Double-A the next season, pitching in 23 games for the Jackson Generals in 2014. Sanchez tragically passed away in a boating accident prior to the 2015 season.

Art Warren won nine of the 14 starts he made for the LumberKings in 2016, going 9-1 with a 2.16 ERA. Warren did not lose a game until June 8th, his 11th outing of the season. Warren's stellar efforts were good enough to earn a spot in the Midwest League All-Star Game. The Napolean, Ohio native was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round in 2015 out of Ashland University.

Warren made his Major League debut on September 12, 2019, with the Seattle Mariners and finished the season in Seattle, appearing in six games.

The Bullpen

John Danks spent time as both a starter and reliever with Clinton in 2004, appearing in a total of 14 games with the LumberKings. Danks posted a 3-2 record with a 2.17 ERA and walked just 14 batters in 49.2 innings of work and striking out 64 batters. Coming into the 2004 season, Danks was rated as the 80th best prospect in baseball according to Baseball America and was rated as high as 56th prior to the 2007 season.

During the 2006 season, Danks was traded to the Chicago White Sox, playing for the organization for the next ten season. The Round Rock, Texas native made his Major League debut in 2007, starting 26 games during his rookie season. Danks pitched in a total of 247 games, all starts, for the White Sox from 2007 to 2016.

Todd Bussa's time in Clinton wasn't his first foray in the Midwest League, the reliever came back to the league after spending the 1995 season with Kane County. Bussa put together one of the most dominant seasons a LumberKings reliever has ever had, striking out 50 batters in 34.2 innings and posting a 1.30 ERA in 32 games. The Florida native finished 31 of the 32 games he appeared in, converting 18 saves.

Bussa started his career in the Tigers organization after being drafted in the 16th round in 1991 and would go on to spend time with the Marlins, Padres, A's and Pirates before retiring following the 1998 season. Bussa stayed close to Clinton, currently residing down the road in Camanche.

Jeff Martin was a member of the very first LumberKings' team, pitching in 55 games for the LumberKings in 1994, going 5-5 with a 2.83 ERA, notching 20 saves. The Renton, Washington nativ was the San Francisco Giants' 10th round pick in 1991 and pitched eight seasons in the organization, reaching Double-A Shreveport in 1997.

Shawn Camp second professional season was spent in Clinton in 1998, appearing in 47 games out of the bullpen for the LumberKings. Camp, a 16th round selection by the Padres in 1997, posted a 2.62 ERA and struck out 62 batters in 55 innings with the LumberKings and earned 13 saves. Camp pitched 11 seasons in the majors, spending two seasons with the Royals from 2004 to 2005 and two seasons with the Devil Rays from 2006 to 2007 before a long stint with the Toronto Blue Jays. While with the Blue Jays, Camp won 15 games in 69 appearances from 2008 to 2011 before joining the Chicago Cubs. The Fairfax, Virginia native led all of Major League Baseball in appearances with the Cubs in 2012, pitching in 80 games.

Brandon Puffer, like Bussa, was a returnee to the Midwest League when he pitched for Clinton in the 1999 season after debuting in the circuit in 1997 with Cedar Rapids. Puffer pitched in 59 games with the LumberKings, posting a 1-2 record with a 1.99 ERA, recording 34 saves, second-most in franchise history. By 2000, Puffer was pitching for the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League before having his contract purchased by the Houston Astros. The Mission Viejo, California native made his Major League Baseball debut in 2002 with the Astros and would pitch in the big leagues for four seasons with the Astros, Padres, and Giants from 2002 to 2005.

Cheyne Hann put together the best stretch of scoreless baseball in Clinton professional baseball history, not allowing a run in 35.2 consecutive innings during the 2009 season. Hann pitched in 51 total games in his third professional season, posting a 2-2 record with a 1.32 ERA, recording a career-best 12 saves. The San Jose, California finished his playing career in 2010, spending the season with the High Desert Mavericks.

Stephen Shackleford appeared in 28 games with the LumberKings in 2012, winning six games and posting a 1.47 ERA pitching out of the bullpen. Of the 28 games the Louisville, Kentucky native pitched in, he finished 21 of them and notched 11 saves, the most of his career until he saved 30 games for the Reading Phillies in 2015.

Kody Kerski pitched in 40 games for the LumberKings during the 2015 season and went 4-3 with a 1.80 ERA, striking out 62 batters in 60 innings. Kerski continued his success that winter, notching a career-best 11 saves in the Australian Baseball League. The Waterbury, Connecticut native would return to Clinton for a two-game cameo appearance in 2017.