Robert Orlan

Robert Charles Orlan (born September 28, 1990) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.

In high school in Virginia, he was All-District as a pitcher as a junior, All-State as a utility player as a senior, and All-District Academic three years. He was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 30th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2016, he led the Class A-Advanced Carolina League in holds, with eight.

He pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, in March 2017.

Early life Orlan was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, grew up in Glen Allen, Virginia, and is Jewish. He is the son of Adam and Margie Orlan. His paternal grandfather was Herbert Orlan, who was born in the Bronx, New York, to Abraham and Flora (Rothouse) Orlansky, and his paternal grandmother is Marilyn Orlan. Orlan attended Deep Run High School (2009) in Glen Allen, where he pitched and played first base and outfield for the baseball team while batting right-handed. He was All-District as a pitcher as a junior, All-State as a utility player as a senior, and All-District Academic three years. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 44th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft from Deep Run High School, but did not sign and instead elected to attend college. In the summer of 2010 he pitched for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League, and had a 3.06 ERA. As a sophomore in 2011, in 32 games he was 2-0 with a 3.79 ERA, striking out 24 batters in 19 innings. As a junior in 2012, in 38 games (leading the Atlantic Coast Conference) Orlan was 8-1 with a 2.21 ERA, striking out 66 batters in 57 innings as he walked 11 hitters.

Professional career Orlan began his professional career in 2013 with the Auburn Doubledays of the Low-A New York-Penn League, starting 11 of the 13 games in which he pitched, and going 1-5 with a 3.65 ERA. In 2014 Orlan pitched again for Auburn, going 1-0 with a 4.19 ERA in 17 relief appearances as he struck out 37 batters in innings, and pitched for the Hagerstown Suns of the A South Atlantic League, going 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in 6 relief appearances as he struck out 21 batters in innings.

In 2017, Orlan began the season pitching for the Potomac Nationals, and was 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA with 5 saves and 29 strikeouts in 28 innings. He was promoted to the Harrisburg Senators of the Double-A Eastern League, where he was 1-3 with a 5.09 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 23 innings. Orlan pitched for five minor league teams in 2018, primarily for the Akron RubberDucks in the Double-A Eastern League, going 1-0 with 3 saves and an 0.61 ERA in 23 games over innings, in which he walked 7 batters and struck out 39.

The Indians re-signed Orlan to a minor league contract on October 25, 2018. The deal included an invitation to the Indians' 2019 major league spring training camp. In 2019, Orlan pitched for the Columbus Clippers of the Triple-A International League, and was 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA across innings of work. Although he did not pitch, his father was quoted saying "I am very proud of Team Israel, it has been a fun experience."

Orlan pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic main tournament in March 2017. He relieved in two games, getting five outs while giving up one hit and one earned run.