Ljay Newsome

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Ljay Newsome

|image =

|team = Piratas de Campeche

|number =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|11|8}}

|birth_place = La Plata, Maryland, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = August 20

|debutyear = 2020

|debutteam = Seattle Mariners

|debut2league= CPBL

|debut2date = August 10

|debut2year = 2024

|debut2team = TSG Hawks

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2021 season

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 1–2

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 6.53

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 25

|stat2league = CPBL

|stat2year = 2024 season

|stat21label = Win–loss record

|stat21value = 2–3

|stat22label = Earned run average

|stat22value = 4.54

|stat23label = Strikeouts

|stat23value = 25

|teams =

Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2020}}–{{mlby|2021}})
TSG Hawks ({{by|2024}})

}}

Ljay Wyatt Newsome (born November 8, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 26th round of the 2015 MLB draft. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Mariners and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the TSG Hawks.

Amateur career

Newsome attended Chopticon High School in Morganza, Maryland.{{cite web|url=https://www.somdnews.com/independent/sports/news/chopticon-graduate-newsome-lands-pitching-start-with-triple-a-takoma/article_74a3f224-663d-5825-bafd-24e887488e79.html|title=Chopticon graduate Newsome lands pitching start with Triple-A Tacoma|author=Colin Stoecker|website=Maryland Independent|date=July 27, 2018|access-date=November 16, 2019}} He led Chopticon High School to the 2015 Maryland 3A state championship, by pitching a complete game one-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts in the deciding game.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/ph-hs-chopticon-ace-ljay-newsome-shuts-down-mt-hebron-in-state-baseball-championship-20150523-story.html|title=Chopticon ace Ljay Newsome shuts down Mt. Hebron in state baseball championship|website=The Baltimore Sun|author=Andrew Conrad|date=May 24, 2015|access-date=November 16, 2019}} Newsome was named the 2015 Gatorade Maryland Baseball Player of the Year.{{cite web|url=https://usatodayhss.com/2015/gatorade-maryland-baseball-poy-ljay-newsome|title=Maryland Baseball POY: Ljay Newsome|author=High School Sports|date=May 28, 2015|website=USA Today|access-date=November 16, 2019}} He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 26th round, with the 785th overall selection, of the 2015 MLB draft and signed with them.{{cite web|url=https://sports.mynorthwest.com/337/mariners-add-more-pitching-on-final-day-of-draft/|title=Mariners add more pitching on final day of draft|author=Brady Henderson|website=710 ESPN Seattle|date=June 10, 2015|access-date=November 16, 2019}}

Professional career

=Seattle Mariners=

Newsome spent his professional debut season of 2015 with the Arizona League Mariners, going 1–0 with a 0.84 ERA over {{frac|10|2|3}} innings. He spent the 2016 season with the Everett AquaSox, going 6–3 with a 4.30 ERA and 58 strikeouts over {{frac|60|2|3}} innings. He spent the 2017 season with the Clinton LumberKings, going 8–9 with a 4.10 ERA and 111 strikeouts over {{frac|129|2|3}} innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mariners-ljay-newsome-fits-in-with-club-c267694296|title=Newsome fits right in after earning spring invite|website=MLB.com|author=Greg Johns|date=March 2, 2018|access-date=November 16, 2019}} Newsome was the 2017 recipient of the Mariners "60 feet 6 inch" award.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/clinton/news/ljay-newsome-named-mariners-award-winner/c-253857384|title=Ljay Newsome named Mariners award winner|author=Erik Oas|website=MiLB.com|date=September 12, 2017|access-date=November 16, 2019}}

Newsome split the 2018 season between the Modesto Nuts and the Tacoma Rainiers, going a combined 6–10 with a 4.89 ERA and 125 strikeouts and 172 hits over {{frac|143|2|3}} innings.{{cite web|url=https://theathletic.com/1292803/2019/10/15/beyond-the-big-name-prospects-five-fast-rising-stars-in-mariners-system/|title=Beyond the big-name prospects, five fast-rising stars in Mariners system|author=Corey Brock|date=October 15, 2019|website=The Athletic|access-date=November 16, 2019}} He split the 2019 season between Modesto, the Arkansas Travelers, and Tacoma, going a combined 9–10 with a 3.54 ERA and 169 strikeouts over 155 innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/everything-is-trending-up-for-ljay-newsome/|title=Everything Is Trending Up For Ljay Newsome|author=TJ Cotterill|website=Baseball America|date=May 23, 2019|access-date=November 16, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/mlb/tacoma-rainiers/article231886988.html|title=Late grand slam wastes call-up's good start in Rainiers' loss|website=The News Tribune|author=Josh Kirshenbaum|date=June 23, 2019|access-date=November 16, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.modbee.com/sports/mlb/article230128929.html|title=He led MiLB in two categories. Nuts' pitcher named Player of the Month.|author=Julian A. Lopez|website=The Modesto Bee|date=May 7, 2019|access-date=November 16, 2019}}

On August 15, 2020, Newsome’s contract was selected to the active roster. He made his major league debut on August 20 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching 3 innings of 1 run ball. Newsome finished his rookie season with the Mariners making 4 starts, earning a 5.17 ERA and 9 strikeouts and 20 hits in 15 innings in the process.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=LJAY NEWSOME STATS|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/39873/ljay-newsome|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}

On May 13, 2021, Newsome was placed on the 60-day injured list with a UCL injury.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/05/mariners-officially-promote-jarred-kelenic-logan-gilbert.html|title = Mariners Officially Promote Jarred Kelenic, Logan Gilbert}} On the season, he recorded a 7.98 ERA in 7 appearances with 16 strikeouts.

=St. Louis Cardinals=

On October 22, 2021, Newsome was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/10/cardinals-claim-ljay-newsome-waivers-mariners.html|title = Cardinals Claim Ljay Newsome from Mariners}} On November 18, Newsome was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A Memphis Redbirds.{{Cite web|title=Cardinals' Ljay Newsome: Outrighted to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cardinals-ljay-newsome-outrighted-to-triple-a/|access-date=October 7, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He spent the 2022 season split between the rookie–level Florida Complex League Cardinals, Single–A Palm Beach Cardinals, and Triple–A Memphis Redbirds. In 11 combined appearances, Newsome logged a 4.38 ERA with 12 strikeouts in {{fraction|12|1|3}} innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.{{Cite web|title=2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-23-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=October 7, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

=San Francisco Giants=

On December 15, 2022, Newsome signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/giants/roster/transactions/2022/12 |title=Giants Roster & Staff – Transactions |website=MLB.com |date=December 2022 |accessdate=December 15, 2022}} He split the season between the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Giants, Single–A San Jose Giants, and High–A Eugene Emeralds. In 11 appearances for the three affiliates, Newsome accumulated a 2.08 ERA with 22 strikeouts across {{fraction|17|1|3}} innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2023.{{Cite web|title=2023 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2023-milb-free-agents/|access-date=May 13, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

=Gastonia Baseball Club=

On April 30, 2024, Newsome signed with the Gastonia Baseball Club of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.{{Cite web |title=Transactions |url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/transactions.html?leagueid=174&seasonid=33927 |access-date=July 16, 2024 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies |language=en}} In 11 starts for Gastonia, Newsome compiled a 5–1 record and 4.15 ERA with 54 strikeouts across {{fraction|56|1|3}} innings pitched.

=TSG Hawks=

On July 16, 2024, Newsome's contract was purchased by the TSG Hawks of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. In 8 starts, he posted a 2–3 record with a 4.54 ERA and 25 strikeouts across {{fraction|39|2|3}} innings pitched. Newsome became a free agent following the season.

=Piratas de Campeche=

On January 6, 2025, Newsome signed with the Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League.{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 6 de enero de 2025|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-6-de-enero-de-2025|access-date=January 6, 2025|website=milb.com|language=en}}