| Collin Balester | |
|---|---|
 Balester with the Washington Nationals | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: June 6, 1986 Huntington Beach, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: July 1, 2008, for the Washington Nationals | |
| KBO: April 5, 2016, for the Samsung Lions[1] | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: October 2, 2015, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| KBO: April 15, 2016, for the Samsung Lions[1] | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 8–17 |
| Earned run average | 5.47 |
| Strikeouts | 157 |
| KBO statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 0–3 |
| Earned run average | 8.03 |
| Strikeouts | 5 |
| Teams | |
Collin Thomas Balester (born June 6, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2008 to 2015 for the Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, and Cincinnati Reds. Balester also played in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions.
Balester grew up in Huntington Beach, California, the son of a surfboard maker. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 2004, making his professional debut that year. By 2007, he was considered a top prospect for the newly relocated Nationals, with him participating in that season's All-Star Futures Game. On July 1, 2008, he made his MLB debut with the Nationals. He won his debut as a starter, becoming the first Expo or National to do so since 1999. That season, he went on to make 14 starts for Washington, recording a 5.51 earned run average (ERA). In 2009, Balester split the year between the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs and Washington, making a combined 27 starts. Balester was converted into a relief pitcher in 2010, after struggling with Syracuse at the beginning of the year. In both 2010 and 2011, he would continue to split time between Syracuse and Washington. The Nationals traded Balester to Detroit on December 9, 2011, for pitcher Ryan Perry.
In 2012, Balester started the season on a major league roster for the first time in his career but was designated for assignment in May. Signed to a minor league deal by the Texas Rangers in 2013, he underwent Tommy John surgery midway through the year. It was not until 2015 that he would pitch in the major leagues again, this time for the Reds, with whom he had a 7.47 ERA. He made three starts for the Lions in Korea in 2016 before elbow pain led to his release. After one final professional season in 2017, he and his wife started the Local Roots Juice Co. in Perrysburg, Ohio.
- ^ a b "Collin Balester". My KBO. Retrieved August 3, 2021.