Jonathan Pettibone

Jonathan H. Pettibone (born July 19, 1990) is an American professional baseball player. He is a starting pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally from Placentia, California, he grew up in Yorba Linda, California (where he now resides in the off season) in a family of five; his father, Jay Pettibone, was a former MLB pitcher. After committing to play baseball for the University of Southern California Trojans, the Phillies drafted him in the third round of the 2008 MLB draft, and he signed with the club after being swayed there by some Phillies' players.
Pettibone methodically progressed through the Phillies' farm system, generally spending about one season at each level until 2012, when he advanced to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs after spending a majority of the season with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. Early in 2013, the Phillies promoted him to the major league club, and he made 18 starts with the Phillies before inflaming his rotator cuff, for which the Phillies precautionarily did not use him for the remainder of the season. He began the 2014 season competing for a spot in the back of the Phillies starting rotation, and he did make two starts, but was ineffective, and was sent back to the minor leagues, where he sustained a SLAP tear, and was placed on the disabled list.

Pettibone was born July 19, 1990 in Placentia, California, and grew up predominantly in Yorba Linda, California. He has two siblings; his father, Jay Pettibone, played six seasons of professional baseball, including a few appearances with the Minnesota Twins. The younger Pettibone attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California, and played baseball and basketball there prior to graduating in 2008. After graduation, he planned to play college baseball for the University of Southern California Trojans, however the Phillies subsequently drafting him, leaving him with a decision between college and professional baseball. In an effort to sway Pettibone to join the Phillies, scout Darrell Conner had Phillies pitchers Cole Hamels and Kyle Kendrick call Pettibone to share their experiences in deciding when to sign a professional contract, and ultimately, Pettibone agreed to a contract with the Phillies that included a US$500,000 signing bonus.

Minor leagues (2008–2012)

Pettibone was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the 2008 MLB draft. That year, he started his professional career as a member of the Gulf Coast League Phillies, with whom he made only one appearance, allowing two unearned runs in one inning, and thus receiving the loss. At the conclusion of the season, he participated in the Florida Instructional League (FIL). In 2009, he played for the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York–Penn League (Single-A short season). In June, he made three starts and compiled an 0.56 earned run average (ERA) in them, which helped him earn NY-Penn player of the week honors for June 22–28. Overall, he went 2–4 in nine games (eight starts) with a 5.35 ERA and thirty-six strikeouts in 35 1⁄₃ innings, and again participated in the FIL at the end of the season.

His steady advancement through the minor league system continued in 2010, when he pitched with the Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic League (Single-A). With Lakewood, he allowed three or fewer earned runs in all but four of his 23 starts, and had a particularly strong second half of the season, posting a 2.41 ERA. Cumulatively, he finished ninth in the league with a 3.49 ERA, posted a win-loss record of 8–6, and threw a total of 131 1⁄₃ innings. He pitched for the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League (Single-A advanced) the next year, and had a strong season – he led the league in innings pitched (161 1⁄₃, tied for second in starts (27), and finished with the fifth-best ERA (2.96). He also was named a league all star, and the Phillies' minor league pitcher of the week in late April. At the conclusion of the season, Baseball America rated him the Phillies' fourth-best prospect. He split 2012 between the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils (Eastern League) and the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (International League), earning a promotion to the latter in July. He posted an aggregate ERA of 3.10, to complement his 13–8 record in 159 2⁄₃ innings pitched. Again, Baseball America ranked him as the Phillies' fourth-best prospect at the conclusion of the season, his last spent solely in the minor leagues.

Philadelphia Phillies (2013–present)

2013 season

Entering the Phillies' 2013 season, despite his quick ascension through the minor leagues and strong performance late in 2012 for the Triple-A IronPigs, Pettibone was considered to be behind Tyler Cloyd, Adam Morgan, and Ethan Martin on the organizational depth chart for starting pitchers. He began the year with Lehigh Valley, and despite a 7.71 ERA in his first three starts, the Phillies called him up to make his major league debut, admittedly "sooner than ... anticipated", according to Pettibone. He made that debut on April 22, 2013, starting for the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitching 5 1⁄₃ innings, striking out six, while reaching base on a walk and scoring a run for Philadelphia; he earned a no decision in the Phillies' 3–2 defeat of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He remained in the starting rotation for the next several months, but in July, the Phillies ended his season due to an inflamed rotator cuff. In total, his numbers were commensurate with those he posted in the minor leagues – 18 starts, 5–4 record, 4.04 ERA, 100 1⁄₃ innings pitched.

2014 season

Although to remain a viable candidate to pitch in the Phillies rotation he needed to regain complete health, Pettibone began the 2014 Phillies season's spring training with more shoulder discomfort. Although the issue was not structural according to an MRI, it was disconcerting to the Phillies, as he was a young pitcher. Ultimately, the discomfort kept him from remaining a competitor for a spot in the back of the Phillies' rotation, and he began the season in the minor leagues. However, he was the first pitcher to be called up from the minor leagues to make a start for the Phillies in 2014, serving as a spot starter while Cole Hamels recovered from injury. He made two starts before being demoted back to the minor leagues. His injury woes subsequently continued; he was diagnosed with a SLAP tear, and though he declined surgery, he received a cortisone injection and was placed on the disabled list to rest. Todd Zolecki, the Phillies beat writer for MLB.com, noted, "Pettibone’s shoulder is a legitimate concern because this is the third time he has had to stop pitching in less than a year because of it. He finished last season on the disabled list before falling behind schedule in Spring Training because of shoulder pain." On June 18, 2014, he underwent season-ending surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews to repair his SLAP tear.

2015 season

Pettibone began the 2015 season on the 15-day disabled list to continue recovery from his shoulder surgery.

Chicago Cubs

On February 1, 2016, Pettibone signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs. An invite to spring training was also included. He was released on April 27, 2016.

Although Pettibone was not projected to have the highest potential of any Phillies pitching prospect, some talent evaluators thought he had the highest floor (i.e., the worst-case scenario in terms of his development), and these evaluations were confirmed by his rookie season. As such, he projected to be a decent back-of-the-rotation starter. He throws three pitches, including a fastball that, while predominantly around 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), can reach 95 miles per hour (153 km/h). Secondarily, he throws a changeup, which Eric Longenhagen called his "best offering" because it "features good fade and arm speed." When he first reached the major leagues, scouts thought he threw either curveball and slider, but upon reaching the major leagues, they determined he threw both a slider and a cutter, which move similarly and can "induce weak contact and maybe miss some bats if it's thrown in the right spot." Ultimately, Pettibone's long-term effectiveness hinges on whether he could remain healthy.