Dan Straily

Daniel Steven Straily (born December 1, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, and Baltimore Orioles, and in the KBO League for the Lotte Giants. The Athletics selected Straily in the 24th round of the 2009 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut with them in 2012.

Straily was born in Redlands, California, to Sarah Jackson (née Beightler) and Steven Straily. He has an older sister, Larissa. The family moved to Pendleton, Oregon, when he was between kindergarten and first grade. Straily started his baseball career playing Little League Baseball and in the Babe Ruth League in Pendleton. He played his first two years of high school baseball for the Pendleton Buckaroos at Pendleton High School.

The family moved again prior to the start of Straily's junior year in high school, this time to Springfield, Oregon. Straily attended Thurston High School in Springfield, and graduated in 2006. Playing for the baseball team, as a senior he was second-team All-Mid-Western League after going 7–3 with a 2.48 ERA in 62 innings with 65 strikeouts.

Straily began his college career at Western Oregon University, where he played college baseball for the Western Oregon Wolves for one year. He then transferred to Marshall University, where he played for the Marshall Thundering Herd baseball team as a walk-on, and majored in Business Administration.

The Oakland Athletics drafted Straily in the 24th round, with the 723rd overall selection, of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. He began his professional career with the Vancouver Canadians of the Low–A Northwest League in 2009. In 16 games pitched (11 starts), Straily had a record of 5–3, a 4.12 earned run average (ERA), and 66 strikeouts (seventh in the league) in 59 innings. His 5 wins were tied for 6th-most in the league.

In 2010, Straily was promoted to the Kane County Cougars of the Single–A Midwest League. There, he posted a 10–7 record, a 4.32 ERA, and 149 strikeouts (second in the league, and second in the A's farm system) in 148 innings (tied for fourth in the league) in 28 games pitched (all starts; tied for second in the league). Straily's 13 home runs allowed were tied for fourth in the league, and his 10 wins were tied for fifth in the league, and his 61 walks were seventh.

For 2011, Straily was promoted to the Stockton Ports of the High–A California League. There, Straily went 11–9 with a 3.87 ERA and 154 strikeouts (fifth in the league, and third in the A's farm system) in 160+2⁄3 innings (fourth) in 28 games (26 starts), and was the April 25 California League Player of the Week. His 14 HBP tied for second in the league, and his 11 wins tied for seventh.

To begin 2012, Straily was promoted to the Midland RockHounds of the Double–A Texas League. He posted a 3–4 record, a 3.38 ERA, and 108 strikeouts (6th in the league) in 85+1⁄3 innings in 14 starts. Straily was the May 21 and June 11 Texas League Player of the Week. He received a promotion to Sacramento River Cats of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League (PCL). His success continued in Triple-A, where Straily went 6–3 with a 2.03 ERA (third in the league), and 82 strikeouts in 66+2⁄3 innings, in 11 starts. He was the July 16 PCL Player of the Week. Through August 2, 2012, Straily led all of professional baseball with 175 strikeouts. He was named a Texas League mid-season and post-season All Star, Baseball America Minor League All Star, and MiLB.com Organization All Star. Overall, he led all of minor league baseball in strikeouts, with 190. On August 2, Straily was called up to join the Athletics' starting rotation. Straily made his Major League debut August 3, and struck out the first batter he faced, Brett Lawrie, looking. In the major leagues in 2012, he was 2–1 with a 3.89 ERA in 39.1 innings in seven starts. Baseball America named him the A's sixth-best prospect, and as having the best slider and changeup.