Former Northwest Missouri State pitcher, Chris Green, was offered a minor league contract by the Baltimore Orioles Monday and is expected to be designated for assignment later this week.
Green pitched for two seasons at Northwest and went 3-4 for the Bearcats during his senior season in 17 starts after battling back from Tommy John surgery. However, the right-handed pitcher showed no effects of the surgery mentioning his arm feels the best it ever has since high school.
Over the summer as a relief pitcher with the St. Joseph Mustangs, Green posted a 1.62 ERA allowing only nine hits in 17.1 innings out of the bullpen.
A trio of teams showed interest in Green during the summer, before Baltimore took a chance on the Joplin native. The call came shortly after helping the Mustangs to a win in the first round of the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in Wichita Sunday night.
The Mustangs claimed the MINK League North Division Title to earn a spot in the NBC World Series. Green was one of three Bearcats on the Mustangs roster during the summer which is under the direction of former Bearcat assistant coach, Matt Johnson. Outfielder Jake Kretzer and pitcher Carson Smith also played with St. Joseph.
Teams interested in Green included the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners throughout the summer; however, it was Baltimore who showed up in Wichita and offered Green a contract following Sunday night’s win.
“I knew I had a chance to make a team, but had to get my arm healthy,” Green said. “Just having teams interested was pretty exciting. It’s been an awesome summer making it to the World Series and now to keep playing baseball.”
St. Joseph will continue action at the NBC World Series facing a team from Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday night. A win would place the Mustangs just two wins away from the championship game in the double-elimination tournament, but they will have to do so without Green who was not ready for his season or career to come to an end.
“The way things were running down the end I was getting worried that it was coming to an end and I was getting ready to play my last couple games in the World Series. It coming at this time was really exciting for me. I wasn’t ready quit just yet.”
Green will travel to Sarasota, Fla., for a physical and Baltimore’s rookie team in the Gulf Coast League.
— NWMSU Sports Information —