Deunte Heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deunte Heath |
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Heath with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: August 28, 1985 Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 1, 2012, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| NPB: August 24, 2014, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: June 19, 2013, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| NPB: September 14, 2019, for the Saitama Seibu Lions | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 0–0 | ||
| Earned run average | 10.24 | ||
| Strikeouts | 4 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 12–10 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.66 | ||
| Strikeouts | 181 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Deunte Raymon Heath (born August 28, 1985) is a former professional baseball pitcher from the United States. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and Saitama Seibu Lions. Deunte made his MLB debut in 2012.
Contents
Deunte Heath's Baseball Journey
Starting Out: High School and College
Deunte Heath went to Newton County High School. After high school, he was picked by the New York Mets in the 2003 baseball draft. However, he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to go to Lake City Community College.
In 2004, during his first year of college, he won 6 games as a pitcher. He was recognized as one of the best players in his conference. That same year, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted him. Again, he decided not to sign and went back to college.
In his second year, he won 4 games. Baseball experts thought he was one of the top young players for the 2005 MLB Draft. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim drafted him, but Deunte still didn't sign. He then transferred to the University of Tennessee. In his junior year, he had a good pitching record.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
In 2006, the Atlanta Braves drafted Deunte Heath. This time, he signed and began his professional career. He started playing for the Braves' minor league teams. Minor leagues are where players develop their skills before reaching the major leagues.
He played for the Single-A Rome Braves and the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans. In 2007, he had a great season with Myrtle Beach. He then moved up to the Double-A Mississippi Braves. He continued to play in the minor leagues, even reaching Triple-A with the Gwinnett Braves.
In 2010, Deunte joined the Chicago White Sox organization. He played for their Double-A team, the Birmingham Barons. He then moved to the Triple-A team, the Charlotte Knights. His hard work paid off, and the White Sox added him to their main roster in late 2011. This meant he was closer to playing in the big leagues.
Making it to the Major Leagues (MLB)
On September 1, 2012, Deunte Heath made his exciting debut in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox. He pitched in 3 games that year.
In 2013, he played in 5 more games for the White Sox. After these games, he continued to play in the minor leagues. In 2014, he was released by the White Sox organization.
Adventures in Japan and Mexico
After his time in MLB, Deunte Heath explored playing baseball in other countries. In 2016, he signed with the Vaqueros Laguna in the Mexican League. He then moved to another Mexican team, the Pericos de Puebla. He became a very important pitcher for them, often finishing games as the team's "closer."
In 2018, Deunte went to Japan to play for the Toyama Thunderbirds. Soon after, he was traded to the Saitama Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). NPB is Japan's top baseball league. He played well for the Lions, helping them win games. He continued with the Lions in 2019.
He returned to the Mexican League in 2022, playing for the Acereros de Monclova. In 2023, he joined the Saraperos de Saltillo.
Wrapping Up His Career
Deunte Heath had a long and interesting career playing baseball around the world. He officially retired from professional baseball on May 15, 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Deunte Heath para niños
