Daulton Jefferies

{{Infobox baseball biography

| image =

| name = Daulton Jefferies

| team = Free agent

| number =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|08|02}}

| birth_place = Merced, California, U.S.

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = September 12

| debutyear = 2020

| debutteam = Oakland Athletics

| statleague = MLB

| statyear = 2024 season

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 2–10

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 6.59

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 49

| teams =

Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|2020}}–{{mlby|2022}})
San Francisco Giants ({{mlby|2024}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|2024}})

}}

Daulton Compton Jefferies (born August 2, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Jefferies played college baseball for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the Athletics with the 37th overall pick of the 2016 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2020 and pitched for the Athletics through the 2022 season.

Amateur career

Jefferies attended Buhach Colony High School in Atwater, California, where he played as a pitcher and shortstop. As a junior in high school, Jefferies was named the most valuable player award in the Central California Conference after pitching to a 8–0 win–loss record with a 1.26 earned run average and hitting to a .366/.480/.505 slash line. In Jefferies's senior season, he went 10–2 with a 0.92 earned run average and a school-record 142 strikeouts, again taking home the conference's Most Valuable Player award.{{cite web|url=http://mlbtopprospects.com/2016/02/daulton-jefferies-mlb-draft-prospect/|title=Daulton Jefferies MLB Draft Prospect|publisher=MLB Top Prospects|access-date=March 21, 2016}} Jefferies had initially verbally committed to play baseball for Stanford University during the summer of his junior year of high school, but the offer fell through and Jefferies committed to the University of California, Berkeley.{{cite web|last=Zielinski III|first=Dan|url=http://www.the3rdmanin.com/daulton-jefferies-looks-to-build-on-last-season/|title=Daulton Jefferies looks to build on last season|publisher=The 3rd Man In|access-date=March 21, 2016|date=February 15, 2016}}

As a freshman for the California Golden Bears in 2014, Jefferies started 15 games, finishing the year 2–8 with a 3.45 earned run average and 58 strikeouts in a team-high {{frac|92|2|3}} innings. Jefferies' sophomore season saw both his record and earned run average improve, as he appeared in 14 games, starting 13, and went 6–5 with a 2.92 earned run average, enough to warrant a First Team All-Pac-12 selection.{{cite web|url=http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209398700|title=Bio – Daulton Jefferies|publisher=calbears.com|access-date=March 21, 2016}} The summer after his sophomore season, Jefferies was a member of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team,{{cite web|author=Jordan Stepp|url=http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=210176497|title=Daulton Jefferies Makes USA Collegiate National Team Roster|publisher=calbears.com|date=June 30, 2015|access-date=March 21, 2016}} and played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|author= |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=736278 |title=Daulton Jefferies – Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |access-date=May 6, 2020}}

Professional career

=Oakland Athletics=

Jefferies was drafted by the Oakland Athletics with the 37th overall pick of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Daulton-Jefferies-joins-A-s-Cal-pipeline-7995098.php|title=Daulton Jefferies joins A's Cal pipeline|website=San Francisco Chronicle|date=12 June 2016 |access-date=November 19, 2016}} He spent his first professional season with the AZL Athletics where he posted a 2.38 earned run average with 17 strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=641726#/career/R/pitching/2016/ALL|title=Daulton Jefferies Stats, Highlights, Bio|website=MiLB.com|access-date=November 19, 2016}} He pitched in only two games for the Stockton Ports in 2017 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, thus ending his season.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/mlb/athletics/Article/Oakland-As-prospect-Daulton-Jefferies-to-have-Tommy-John-surgery-105509359|title=Daulton Jefferies to have Tommy John surgery|website=247Sports.com|author=Melissa Lockard|date=April 20, 2017|access-date=February 18, 2018}} He appeared in one game in the AZL in 2018 as he continued to rehab his way back to full health. Jefferies split the 2019 season between Stockton and the Midland RockHounds, going a combined 2–2 with a 3.41 earned run average over 79 innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1162375/2019/08/26/as-minor-league-notebook-daulton-jefferies-hits-his-goal-james-kaprielian-gets-loose/|title=A's minor-league notebook: Daulton Jefferies hits his goal, James Kaprielian gets loose|author=Melissa Lockard|date=August 26, 2019|website=The Athletic|access-date=November 11, 2019}}

On November 20, 2019, the Athletics added Jefferies to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/athletics-daulton-jefferies-contract-selected-by-oakland/|title=Athletics' Daulton Jefferies: Contract selected by Oakland|website=CBSSports.com|author=RotoWire Staff|date=November 20, 2019|access-date=November 20, 2019}} Jefferies was called up as the extra man for a doubleheader on September 12, 2020, against the Texas Rangers. It was his major league debut but it did not go well as Jefferies only lasted two innings, giving up five runs on two home runs and taking the loss.

On May 20, 2022, Jefferies was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, and was sidelined indefinitely.{{Cite web|title=A's starter Daulton Jefferies diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/athletics/article/A-s-place-Daulton-Jefferies-right-arm-nerve-17187968.php|access-date=2023-01-14|website=sfchronicle.com|date=20 May 2022 |language=en}} On September 11, Jefferies underwent Tommy John surgery to repair UCL damage in his right elbow. The surgery prematurely ended his 2022 season, and wiped out his 2023 season as well.{{Cite web|title=Athletics' Daulton Jefferies: Gets Tommy John surgery|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/athletics-daulton-jefferies-gets-tommy-john-surgery/amp/|access-date=June 17, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He was outrighted off the roster on November 14, 2022. Jefferies elected free agency on November 6, 2023.{{Cite web|title=2023 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2023-milb-free-agents/|access-date=December 8, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|date=8 November 2023 |language=en}}

=San Francisco Giants=

On December 8, 2023, Jefferies signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants.{{Cite web|title=Giants' Daulton Jefferies: Lands with Giants|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/giants-daulton-jefferies-lands-with-giants/|work=CBS Sports|date=December 8, 2023|access-date=December 14, 2023}} On March 31, 2024, Jeffries had his contract selected to the active roster.{{Cite web|title=Giants Designate Joey Bart For Assignment|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/giants-designate-joey-bart-for-assignment.html|access-date=March 31, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=31 March 2024 |language=en}} In two appearances for San Francisco, he allowed 13 runs (9 earned) on 14 hits with four strikeouts across {{fraction|4|2|3}} innings. Jeffries was designated for assignment by the Giants following the promotion of Mason Black on May 6.{{Cite web|title=Giants Designate Daulton Jefferies For Assignment|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/giants-designate-daulton-jefferies-for-assignment.html|access-date=May 6, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=6 May 2024 |language=en}}

=Pittsburgh Pirates=

On May 10, 2024, Jefferies was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Rodolfo Nolasco.{{Cite web|title=Pirates Acquire Daulton Jefferies From Giants|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/pirates-acquire-daulton-jefferies-from-giants.html|access-date=May 10, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=10 May 2024 |language=en}} In four appearances for Pittsburgh, he logged a 6.30 ERA with 8 strikeouts across 10 innings. Jefferies was placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation on July 6,{{Cite web|title=Pirates place righty reliever Daulton Jefferies on injured list, recall Ryder Ryan from Triple-A|url=https://triblive.com/sports/pirates-place-righty-reliever-daulton-jefferies-on-injured-list-recall-ryder-ryan-from-triple-a/|access-date=August 1, 2024|website=triblive.com|date=July 6, 2024 |language=en}} and was transferred to the 60–day injured list on July 30.{{Cite web|title=Pirates' Daulton Jefferies: Moves to 60-day IL|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/pirates-daulton-jefferies-moves-to-60-day-il/amp/|access-date=August 1, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} On November 4, he was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the minors.https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/pirates-decline-option-on-marco-gonzales.html On November 6, he elected free agency.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2024/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2024|work=Baseball America|date=November 6, 2024|accessdate=November 6, 2024|first=Matt|last=Eddy}}

Pitching style

Jefferies has a four pitch repertoire. His fastball has a bit of sink and sits in the low-to-mid 90s, but can top out around 96 mph. His primary off-speed pitch is his changeup which he throws in the mid-80s with good sink and fade. He also has a decent slider and a good three-quarters curveball.{{cite web|first=Jesse|last=Burkhart|url=http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/cals-daulton-jefferies-shows-first-round-potential-in-opener/|title=Cal's Daulton Jefferies Shows First-Round Potential in Opener|website=FanGraphs.com|date=February 22, 2016|access-date=March 21, 2016}}

Personal life

Jefferies is the nephew of former major league pitcher Blas Minor, and his older brother Jake was a catcher in the minor leagues for both the Miami Marlins' and Tampa Bay Rays' organizations.{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-23/sports/sns-mct-baseball-player-of-the-year-jefferies-continued-20120623_1_darren-daulton-phillies-catcher-wiffle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303143138/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-23/sports/sns-mct-baseball-player-of-the-year-jefferies-continued-20120623_1_darren-daulton-phillies-catcher-wiffle|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 3, 2016|title=Baseball Player of the Year: Jefferies continued family's legacy at Buhach Colony|website=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=March 21, 2016|date=June 23, 2012}}

His fiancee is Natalie Kienhofer.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/pirates/news/daulton-jefferies-visits-pediatric-cancer-patients-in-cincinnati | title=Jefferies visits pediatric cancer patients in Cincy | website=MLB.com }}