Shawn Dubin

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Shawn Dubin

|image = Shawn Dubin (250123-M-JB267-1769) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Dubin in 2025

|team = Houston Astros

|number = 66

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|9|6}}

|birth_place = Allegany, New York, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = June 19

|debutyear = 2023

|debutteam = Houston Astros

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = June 12, 2025

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 3–1

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 3.95

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 74

|teams =

Houston Astros ({{mlby|2023}}–present)

}}

Shawn Anthony Dubin (born September 6, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Amateur career

Dubin played soccer and baseball at Allegany-Limestone High School in Allegany, New York. He initially enrolled at Jamestown Community College where he hoped to play college soccer but dropped out and got a job at Lowe's. He was persuaded by a friend to try out for the college baseball team at SUNY Erie and earned a spot on the team.{{cite news |last1=Kawahara |first1=Matt |title=Astros insider: Father's Day call-up special for Shawn Dubin, dad Tony |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/houston-astros-shawn-dubin-fathers-day-18158875.php |access-date=June 21, 2023 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=June 18, 2023}} After one year at Erie, he transferred to the University at Buffalo where he played two seasons before Buffalo's baseball program folded in 2017. He played collegiate summer baseball with the Olean Oilers and won the 2016 New York Collegiate Baseball League championship. His eventual promotion to the Major Leagues would make him the first Oilers player to reach the majors.{{cite news |title=Allegany's Shawn Dubin called up to Houston Astros |url=https://www.oleantimesherald.com/sports/baseball/allegany-s-shawn-dubin-called-up-to-houston-astros/article_980e22a0-0e07-11ee-8e8c-b3104a87cf2e.html |access-date=June 21, 2023 |work=Olean Times Herald |date=June 18, 2023 |language=en}} He finished out his college career in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) at Georgetown College.{{cite news |title=UB pitching product Shawn Dubin reaches majors with Astros |url=https://buffalonews.com/ub-pitching-product-shawn-dubin-reaches-majors-with-astros/article_816cdea8-0e28-11ee-8c64-5318396f5802.html |access-date=June 21, 2023 |work=Buffalo News |date=June 18, 2023 |language=en}}

Professional career

The Houston Astros selected Dubin in the 13th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.oleantimesherald.com/sports/allegany-native-dubin-drafted-by-astros/article_714d4eae-6a86-11e8-bee5-13cb1e26d9de.html|title=Allegany native Dubin drafted by Astros|first=SAM WILSON, Olean Times|last=Herald|website=Olean Times Herald|date=June 7, 2018 |access-date=March 9, 2021|archive-date=September 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910132401/http://www.oleantimesherald.com/sports/allegany-native-dubin-drafted-by-astros/article_714d4eae-6a86-11e8-bee5-13cb1e26d9de.html|url-status=live}} Dubin made his professional debut in 2018 with the Low-A Tri-City ValleyCats, pitching to a 4.60 ERA in 14 appearances. In 2019, he pitched for the Single-A Quad Cities River Bandits and High-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers, accumulating a 7–5 record and 3.58 ERA with 151 strikeouts across 25 games (19 of them starts). Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Minor League Baseball season due to COVID-19, he did not pitch for a team, but was a member of the Astros' 60-man player pool.{{cite web|url=https://www.news-graphic.com/sports/tigers-alum-dubin-on-mlb-call/article_2cbc62ea-bc94-11ea-8395-a36307e3f3c3.html|title=Tigers' alum Dubin on MLB call|first=Kal Oakes Georgetown|last=News-Graphic|website=News-Graphic.com|date=July 2, 2020 |access-date=March 9, 2021|archive-date=May 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502210156/https://www.news-graphic.com/sports/tigers-alum-dubin-on-mlb-call/article_2cbc62ea-bc94-11ea-8395-a36307e3f3c3.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.oleantimesherald.com/olean/a-l-s-dubin-receives-call-up-to-houston-s-56-player-pool/article_94077bf8-11ce-526c-84ad-e9930bd514a7.html|title=A-L's Dubin receives call-up to Houston's 56-player pool|first=J. P. |last=Butler|work=Olean Times Herald|date=July 2, 2020 |access-date=March 9, 2021|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101222608/https://www.oleantimesherald.com/olean/a-l-s-dubin-receives-call-up-to-houston-s-56-player-pool/article_94077bf8-11ce-526c-84ad-e9930bd514a7.html|url-status=live}}

The Astros invited Dubin to their Spring Training in 2021.{{cite news |last=Rome|first=Chandler |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Pitcher-Shawn-Dubin-s-unusual-path-to-Astros-15998992.php |title=Pitcher Shawn Dubin's unusual path to Astros spring training |work=Houston Chronicle |date=March 4, 2021 |access-date=May 2, 2021 |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421144248/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Pitcher-Shawn-Dubin-s-unusual-path-to-Astros-15998992.php |url-status=live }} He did not make the team and spent the year with the Triple-A Sugar Land Skeeters, working to a 3.44 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 49.2 innings of work across 16 contests. He was selected to the 40-man roster following the season on November 19, 2021.{{cite web |website=CBSSports.com| url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/astros-shawn-dubin-joins-40-man-roster/ | title=Astros' Shawn Dubin: Joins 40-man roster | date=November 19, 2021 }}

Dubin was optioned to the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Astros' Shawn Dubin: Moves to minor-league camp|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/astros-shawn-dubin-moves-to-minor-league-camp/amp/|access-date=March 12, 2023|website=CBSSports.com|language=en}} In 9 games (5 starts), he struggled to a 7.96 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 26.0 innings pitched. On June 18, 2023, Dubin was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web |date=June 18, 2023 |title=Astros' Shawn Dubin: Recalled from Triple-A |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/astros-shawn-dubin-recalled-from-triple-a/amp/ |access-date=June 18, 2023 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}} He had fifteen friends and family fly to Houston from Western New York but did not appear in that day's game. He made his debut on June 19 against the New York Mets and struck out the first batter he faced, Brandon Nimmo. He pitched two scoreless innings but allowed five runs in his third inning of work.{{cite news |last1=Butler |first1=J. P. |title=For two innings, Dubin had ideal MLB debut |url=https://www.oleantimesherald.com/sports/for-two-innings-dubin-had-ideal-mlb-debut/article_21933b9e-0fe0-11ee-89dd-3fd0f2a1eae1.html |access-date=November 28, 2023 |work=Olean Times Herald |date=June 21, 2023 |language=en}} Dubin made his first MLB start on July 2, allowing one run in four innings against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Sam |title=Dubin makes first-career start for Astros |url=https://www.oleantimesherald.com/sports/dubin-makes-first-career-start-for-astros/article_c3e78002-1946-11ee-8bee-df0f2565c601.html |access-date=November 28, 2023 |work=Olean Times Herald |date=July 2, 2023 |language=en}} Following the game, the Astros added Brandon Bielak to the active roster and sent Dubin to Triple-A.{{cite news |last1=Kawahara |first1=Matt |title=Astros bring back Brandon Bielak, send Shawn Dubin to Sugar Land |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/houston-astros-brandon-bielak-back-up-shawn-18182722.php |access-date=November 28, 2023 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=July 3, 2023 |language=en}} Dubin finished the year in the minors, spending about three weeks of August on the injured list.{{cite web |title=Astros' Shawn Dubin: Makes return from IL |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/astros-shawn-dubin-makes-return-from-il/ |website=CBSSports.com |access-date=November 28, 2023 |language=en |date=August 29, 2023}}

In 2024, Dubin appeared in 31 games for the major league club, posting a 1–1 W–L, 4.17 ERA, 45 hits, 26 bases on balls, 1.566 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) and 49 strikeouts over {{frac|45|1|3}} innings. He filled a variety of roles, including 2 games started as opener, 2 saves, and 11 games finished.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dubinsh01.shtml |title=Shawn Dubin height, weight, position, rookie status & more |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=October 21, 2024}} At Sugar Land in 2024, Dubin made 10 appearances, was 2–0, pitched 10 innings, allowed 4 runs with 8 hits and 5 strikeouts, and struck out 13,{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=dubin-000sha |title=Shawn Dubin college & minor leagues statistics |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=October 21, 2024}}