Brayan Villarreal
From BR Bullpen
Brayan Rene Villarreal
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 170 lb.
- Born May 10, 1987 in La Guaira, Vargas Venezuela
[edit] Biographical Information
Brayan Villarreal is a pitcher who made his major league debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2011.
Villarreal began his professional career in 2006, pitching for the VSL Marlins/Tigers and going 0-2 with a 3.48 ERA in 14 games (five starts). He moved to the United States in 2007, though he pitched in only one game that season - for the GCL Tigers, with whom he went 0-0 with a 6.23 ERA. In 2008, he pitched for both the GCL Tigers (11 games, six starts) and West Michigan Whitecaps (one start), going a combined 1-6 with a 4.69 ERA. His five losses tied for third in the Gulf Coast League. In 2009, he pitched for the Whitecaps again, going 5-5 with a 2.87 ERA in 26 games (16 starts), striking out 118 batters in 103 1/3 innings of work. Baseball America rated him as having the best slider of a Detroit farmhand. That winter, he was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA for the Caribes de Anzoátegui. He split 2010 between the Lakeland Flying Tigers and Erie SeaWolves, going a combined 7-8 with a 3.55 ERA in 24 starts. He struck out 136 batters in 129 1/3 innings pitched.
Bypassing AAA, Villarreal made the 2011 Tigers out of spring training. He debuted in the big leagues at age 23, relieving Brad Thomas with a 9-3 deficit in the 6th against the Yankees. He served up a homer to his first batter, Alex Rodriguez, but struck out Raul Cano. Nick Swisher grounded out, Jorge Posada singled and Curtis Granderson hit into an inning-ending force. Joaquin Benoit relieved him in the 7th.
