Brandon Medders

Brandon Edward Medders (born January 26, 1980) is a former professional relief pitcher. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2005–2008) and San Francisco Giants (2009–2010) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Medders threw a four-seam fastball, a curveball, a slider, a changeup, and a cutter.

A Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native, Medders won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship with Mississippi State University as a junior in 2001, then signed with the Diamondbacks, the third MLB team in the last four years to draft him. He spent four seasons in the minor leagues, pitched with Arizona on three separate stints in 2005, then posted a 3.64 earned run average (ERA) in 60 games for them in 2006. After pitching inconsistently in 2007, he was outrighted off of Arizona's 40-man roster in 2008, becoming a free agent following the season.

A non-roster invitee to the Giants' spring training in 2009, Medders made the team's roster. In 61 games, he had a 3.01 ERA. After posting a 7.20 ERA in 2010, Medders was outrighted off the 40-man roster in June, once again becoming a free agent after the season.

Early life Brandon Edward Medders was born on January 26, 1980, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He attended Tuscaloosa's Hillcrest High School, graduating in 1998. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected him in the 37th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, but he chose to attend Tuscaloosa's Shelton State Community College. He was then selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 18th round of the 1999 MLB draft, but he decided to transfer to Mississippi State University. Mississippi State won its first Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship since 1987, and Medders was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team. In his two years at Mississippi State, he had a 7–4 record and a 3.21 earned run average (ERA). Medders remained with Lancaster in 2002, serving as a starting pitcher for part of the year and also as the team's closer. In 43 games (12 starts), he had a 4–8 record, a 5.38 ERA, 104 strikeouts, 36 walks, and 111 hits allowed in innings. This was the only year in which Medders made any starts.

2005–2006 Medders began 2005 with Tucson. On June 19, the Diamondbacks purchased his contract after Russ Ortiz was injured and Matt Herges was designated for assignment. He made his MLB debut the next day, pitching a scoreless eighth inning in an 8–3 loss to the San Francisco Giants. He was scored upon in one of six outings, posting a 3.38 ERA before being demoted to Tucson on July 2. Five days later, he was recalled by Arizona after Shawn Estes was injured. On July 18, he pitched a scoreless top of the 11th inning and earned his first MLB win when Arizona scored in the bottom of the inning to defeat the Florida Marlins 8–7. He pitched scoreless ball in four appearances on his second stint before getting sent to Tucson on August 2 so the Diamondbacks could add left-hander Buddy Groom to the roster. Recalled a third time on August 19 after Brian Bruney was sent down, Medders remained with Arizona for the rest of the season. In 36 games for Tucson, he had a 3–2 record, eight saves, a 2.48 ERA, 44 strikeouts, 18 walks, and 31 hits allowed in innings. He started the year rehabbing at Tucson before getting called up by the Diamondbacks on April 19. On August 15, he had his longest outing of the year in the longest game in Colorado Rockies history, pitching a scoreless 16th-through-18th innings, striking out a season-high four batters, and earning the win in Arizona's 18-inning, 2–1 victory. He had his lowest ERA for the team in the month of May, posting a figure of 0.61 in 11 games. In 60 games, he had a 5–3 record, a 3.64 ERA, 47 strikeouts, 28 walks, and 76 hits in innings. In 35 games with Tucson, he had a 5–3 record, five saves, a 4.69 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 24 walks, and 55 hits allowed in 48 innings. In 30 games for Arizona, he had a 1–2 record, a 4.30 ERA, 23 strikeouts, 16 walks, and 30 hits allowed in innings.

After beginning 2008 with the Diamondbacks, Medders was surprised to be designated for assignment on May 22 and outrighted to Tucson on May 30. However, the Diamondbacks needed his roster spot for Doug Davis, who was returning from the disabled list. In 18 games with Arizona, he had a 1–0 record, a 4.58 ERA, eight strikeouts, 11 walks, and 17 hits allowed in innings. With Tucson in 26 games, Medders had a 1–2 record, a 7.45 ERA, 33 strikeouts, 24 walks, and 45 hits allowed in innings.

San Francisco Giants 2009 On January 9, 2009, Medders signed a minor league contract with the Giants with an invitation to spring training. Against Arizona on August 26, Medders picked up the only save of his MLB career, pitching a flawless ninth inning to preserve a 4–3 victory. He described what it was like to pitch in that game:

In 61 games, he had a 5–1 record, a 3.01 ERA, 58 strikeouts, 32 walks, and 63 hits allowed in innings. On May 21, he was placed on the disabled list. While on a rehab assignment with the PCL's Fresno Grizzlies, he was outrighted to Fresno on June 4 to make room on the Giants' 40-man roster for Pat Burrell. In 14 games for San Francisco, he had no record, a 7.20 ERA, eight strikeouts, six walks, and 26 hits allowed in 15 innings. After the season, he became a free agent.

Personal life Medders married fellow Tuscaloosa native Meredith Sims McGraw on September 12, 2002, in Tuscaloosa. The couple has one child, daughter Berkley.