:Jeff Mutis

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Jeff Mutis

|position=Pitcher

|image=

|bats=Left

|throws=Left

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1966|12|20}}

|birth_place=Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|death_date=

|death_place=

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=June 15

|debutyear=1991

|debutteam= Cleveland Indians

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=July 31

|finalyear=1994

|finalteam= Florida Marlins

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=4–11

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=6.48

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=73

|teams=

Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|1991}}–{{mlby|1993}})
Florida Marlins ({{mlby|1994}})

}}

Jeff Mutis (born December 20, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.

Formative years

Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania on December 20, 1996, Mutis was a graduate of Allentown Central Catholic High School. While pitching for Allentown Central, Mutis was recruited heavily by Seton Hall University, Clemson University, and Rollins College. Although his stated preference was Duke University, he chose Lafayette College for its academic reputation. Despite telling the New York Yankees in the fifteenth round that his commitment to Lafayette College was strong, Mutis was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the thirty-fourth round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft; howeverm he chose not to sign at that time.{{cite news |author= |date= April 27, 1986|title= JEFF MUTIS LAFAYETTE'S HERALDED FRESHMAN SURPRISING HIMSELF AND HIS COACH |url=https://www.mcall.com/1986/04/27/j-e-f-f-m-u-t-i-s-lafayettes-heralded-freshman-surprising-himself-and-his-coach/ |work=The Morning Call |location= Allentown, PA |access-date= September 18, 2023}}

Career

Mutis was subsequently drafted by the Indians in the first round (27th pick) of the 1988 Major League Baseball draft. On July 17, 1993, Mutis pitched his first, and only, complete game shutout, allowing four hits and striking out two in a 3-0 Indians win over the Angels. In 1993, he was selected from waivers by the Florida Marlins, and he played his final major league game with the Marlins on July 31, 1994.

Mutis was released by the Marlins on July 15, 1995, following a move from a starting pitcher to closer. Mutis recorded two saves in twenty-seven games, earning a 3.72 average with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, but was pitching through back pain.{{cite news |author= |date= July 15, 1995|title= RELEASE LEAVES JEFF MUTIS AT CAREER CROSSROAD |url=https://www.mcall.com/1995/07/15/release-leaves-jeff-mutis-at-career-crossroad/ |work=The Morning Call |location= Allentown, PA |access-date= September 18, 2023}} He subsequently signed with the St. Louis Cardinals organization for the 1996 season, pitching with the Triple-A Louisville Redbirds. It was his last season in affiliated baseball.

In 1997, Mutis signed with the independent Allentown Ambassadors of the Northeast League as the team's first former Major Leaguer, returning to play professionally for his home town's first professional team since 1962. Mutis joined the team as a part-time player following turning down invitations to pitch in Mexico so that he could raise his family.{{cite news |author= |date= May 10, 1997|title= THE AMBASSADORS SIGN NATIVE SON JEFF MUTIS * THE LEFT-HANDER WILL PITCH MOSTLY AT HOME WITH AN OCCASIONAL WEEKEND AWAY GAME. |url=https://www.mcall.com/1997/05/10/the-ambassadors-sign-native-son-jeff-mutis-the-left-hander-will-pitch-mostly-at-home-with-an-occasional-weekend-away-game/ |work=The Morning Call |location= Allentown, PA |access-date= September 18, 2023}} Mutis started two games for the Ambassadors before retiring.{{cite news |author= |date= March 31, 2014|title= Where Are They Now? - Jeff Mutis '89 |url=https://goleopards.com/news/2014/3/31/Where_Are_They_Now_Jeff_Mutis_89 |location= Easton, PA |access-date= September 18, 2023}}

That same year, Mutis completed his Economics and Business degree at Lafayette.{{cite news |author= |date= March 31, 2014|title= Where Are They Now? - Jeff Mutis '89 |url=https://goleopards.com/news/2014/3/31/Where_Are_They_Now_Jeff_Mutis_89 |location= Easton, PA |access-date= September 18, 2023}}