Samuel Deduno

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Samuel Deduno

|image = Samuel Deduno on June 27, 2013.jpg

|image_size =

|caption = Deduno with the Minnesota Twins

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|7|2}}

|birth_place = La Romana, Dominican Republic

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = August 27

|debutyear = 2010

|debutteam = Colorado Rockies

|finalleague=MLB

| finaldate = May 13

| finalyear = 2015

| finalteam = Houston Astros

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 16–20

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 4.38

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 231

|teams=

Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2010}})
San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2011}})
Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2012}}–{{mlby|2014}})
Houston Astros ({{mlby|2014}}–{{mlby|2015}})

|show-medals=no

|medaltemplates=

{{Medal|Country|{{bb|DOM}}}}

}}

Samuel Deduno Lake (born July 2, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros.

Playing career

=Colorado Rockies=

Deduno was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Colorado Rockies in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081120&content_id=3687225&vkey=news_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col|title=Rockies set 40-man roster|last=Gilbert|first=Steve|date=November 20, 2008|work=MLB.com|access-date=2009-05-05}} Deduno led the Texas League in strike outs in 2007, but missed the 2008 season with an injury.

Deduno was added to the 40-man roster for the Rockies after the 2008 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?subjectid=225&articleid=20090405_253_B8_Samuel215663|title=Pitching leads Drillers |last=Lewis|first=Barry|date=April 5, 2009|publisher=Tulsa World|access-date=2009-05-05}}{{cite web|url=http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/team/roster_40man.jsp?c_id=col|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150604025241/http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/team/roster_40man.jsp?c_id=col|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 4, 2015|title=40-Man Roster, Colorado Rockies|work=MLB.com|access-date=2009-05-05}}

He was called up to the Rockies on August 26, 2010.

=San Diego Padres=

File:Samuel Deduno 2011.jpg]]

On January 28, 2011, He was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres. On May 23, Deduno was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Blake Tekotte.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2011-05-23-1996310327_x.htm|title=Padres demote leadoff batter Venable to Triple-A|last=Wilson|first=Bernie|date=2011-05-23|work=USA Today|access-date=2011-05-23}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Tucson Padres on May 26. He elected free agency following the season on November 2.

=Minnesota Twins=

On November 18, 2011, Deduno signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins. On July 5, 2012, he had his contract purchased by the Twins. Deduno recorded his first win on July 22, in a game against the Kansas City Royals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320722107|title = MLB Baseball Scores - MLB Scoreboard - ESPN}} In 2012, Deduno pitched 6–5 with a 4.44 ERA in 15 starts with 6.5 K/9 and 1.08 K/BB. He was sent outright to Triple-A Rochester Red Wings on November 2.

On November 5, Deduno signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training to stay with the Twins.{{cite web |url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/177311841.html |title=Twins reach minor league deals with Deduno, Vasquez |work=Minneapolis Star Tribune |first=Joe |last=Christensen |date=November 5, 2012}} Deduno made 18 starts with the Twins in 2013, and he was 8–8 with a 3.83 ERA, striking out 67 in 108 innings.

Deduno opened 2014 in the Twins bullpen after he lost the 5th starter spot to Kyle Gibson.{{cite web |url=http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Report_Kyle_Gibson_wins_final_rotation_spot_Sam_Deduno_to_bullpen_032114 |title=Report: Kyle Gibson wins final rotation spot, Sam Deduno to bullpen |work=1500ESPN Twin Cities |first=Derek |last=Wetmore |date=March 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926123435/http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Report_Kyle_Gibson_wins_final_rotation_spot_Sam_Deduno_to_bullpen_032114 |archive-date=September 26, 2015 }} He made 7 appearances in the bullpen, having a 2.89 ERA in 18.2 innings before being moved to the rotation to replace the injured Mike Pelfrey.{{cite web |url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/02/twins-to-place-mike-pelfrey-on-the-15-day-dl-sam-deduno-to-start-on-tuesday/ |title=Twins to place Mike Pelfrey on the 15-day DL; Sam Deduno to start on Tuesday |work=NBC Sports |first=Bill |last=Baer |date=May 2, 2014}} Deduno didn't fare so well in the rotation, where in 8 starts, he was 3–5 with a 6.52 ERA and a 1.603 WHIP in 38.2 innings, or less than 5 innings per start. He was moved back to the bullpen on June 17 in favor of Yohan Pino.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.twincities.com/twins/2014/06/17/twinsights-journeyman-yohan-pino-gets-the-call-to-start-thursday/ |title=Journeyman Yohan Pino gets the call to start Thursday |work=Pioneer Press |first=Mike |last=Berardino |date=June 17, 2014}}

=Houston Astros=

On August 30, 2014, Deduno was claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros.{{cite news |url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/08/astros-claim-sam-deduno-from-twins.html |title=Astros Claim Sam Deduno |last=Wilmoth|first=Charlie|work=MLB Trade Rumors |date=August 30, 2014 |access-date=August 30, 2014}} In 14 appearances for Houston in 2014 and 2015, Deduno registered a 5.76 ERA with 26 strikeouts. He was sent outright to Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies on November 10. He elected free agency following the season on November 12.

=Baltimore Orioles=

On February 19, 2016, Deduno signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.{{Cite web|title=Orioles, Sam Deduno Agree To Minor League Deal|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/02/orioles-sam-deduno-agree-to-minor-league-deal.html|access-date=July 22, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=February 29, 2016 |language=en}} Deduno had undergone hip surgery in the offseason and was not going to be able to pitch until mid season. He made 10 appearances for the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Orioles, compiling a 1.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts across 18 innings pitched. Deduno was released by the Orioles organization on August 9.

Coaching career

Deduno joined the Colorado Rockies organization as a minor league coach prior to the 2020 season.

Deduno assumed the role of pitching coach for the Dominican Summer League Rockies for the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Rockies announce coaching staffs for Minors affiliates|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-announce-minor-league-coaching-staffs|access-date=February 10, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}} He reprised his role for the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Colorado Rockies Announce Full Player Development Staff for 2025 Season|url=https://www.mlb.com/amp/press-release/press-release-colorado-rockies-announce-full-player-development-staff-for-2025-season.html|access-date=February 3, 2025|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

Pitching style

Deduno relies mostly, especially against right-handed hitters, on a four-seam fastball (89–92 mph) and curveball (80–84 mph). He throws a small amount of two-seam fastballs, sliders, and changeups against left-handed hitters. The curve is by far his most common pitch in two-strike counts and when he is ahead in the count.{{cite web|url=http://brooksbaseball.net/player_cards/player_card.php?player=465679|title=Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool – Player Card: Samuel Deduno|publisher=Brooks Baseball|access-date=26 September 2012}}

His four-seamer has the smallest amount of "rise", or vertical break, among all major league starters since 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/pitchfx/leaderboards/index.php?hand=&reportType=pfx&prp=P&month=&year=&pitch=FA&ds=vmov&lim=100|title=PitchFX Leaderboards|work=Baseball Prospectus|access-date=26 September 2012}} This sinker-like effect gives him the best ground ball/fly ball ratio (6:1) among four-seamers in that group.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/pitchfx/leaderboards/index.php?hand=&reportType=pfx&prp=P&month=&year=&pitch=FA&ds=gbfb&lim=100|title=PitchFX Leaderboards|work=Baseball Prospectus|access-date=26 September 2012}} Remarking on its unusual movement, former Twins catcher Ryan Doumit said, "His fastball's unlike anything I've ever seen. ... It's like catching a 92-mile-an-hour knuckleball."{{cite news|url=http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_21434666/shooter-now-twins-samuel-dedunos-fastball-unlike-anything|last=Walters|first=Charley|date=August 30, 2012|title=Twins' Samuel Deduno's fastball 'unlike anything I've ever seen'|newspaper=St. Paul Pioneer Press}}

Deduno has a high walk rate, walking 55 batters in his first 83 innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dedunsa01.shtml|title=Sam Deduno Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=26 September 2012}}

Awards and honors

2007 Texas League Pitcher of the Week
2004 Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year
2004 Pioneer League Post-Season All-Star{{Cite web |title=Samuel Deduno Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/samuel-deduno-465679 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Minor League Baseball |language=en}}