Chris Mason

From BR Bullpen

Christopher Lee Mason

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.
School University of North Carolina at Greensboro
High School Bessemer City High School

Born July 1, 1984 in Gastonia, NC USA

[edit] Biographical Information

After attending Bessemer City High School, where he broke Kevin Millwood's record for strikeouts in a single season, Chris Mason attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he played outfield and third base as well as pitching. He was 14-10 in 62 games there and hit .320 with 10 home runs. As a junior, he led the Southern Conference with 135 strikeouts and was second with a 2.88 ERA. He tied Micah Owings and another hurler for 7th in NCAA Division I in strikeouts.

Mason was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the second round of the 2005 amateur draft and signed for a $630,000 bonus. He made his pro debut that summer with the Hudson Valley Renegades on June 22nd, earning the win in relief. Mason was 1-1 with two saves and a 2.40 ERA in 9 games for Hudson Valley, then was promoted to the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays, where he was 1-0 with a 1.45 ERA in 10 outings.

The next summer, he played for the Visalia Oaks and made the transition to the starting rotaion, winning 12 games and losing 10 in 27 starts despite a 5.02 ERA. He tied James Houser Jr. for the California League lead in wins.

Mason spent the entire 2007 campaign with the Montgomery Biscuits and was named Most Outstanding Pitcher in the Southern League and the AA Pitcher of the Year by milb.com. That season, he won 15 games while losing just four with a 2.57 ERA and 136 strikeouts and was undefeated in his last 13 starts, as the Biscuits went on to a league title. Baseball America rated him as having the best control in the SL. He led the league in wins and was ERA and was named as the All-Star right-handed pitcher. Baseball America did not consider him one of the league's top 20 prospects, though.

However, he struggled the following year with the AAA Durham Bulls, going 3-9 with a 6.38 ERA before being removed from the club's rotation. Overall, he was 3-10 with a 6.21 ERA.

Hoping to bounce back from his 2008 season, Mason began 2009 back with AA Montgomery.