Collin T. Balester

My wife’s name is Ashley. I grew up surfing in native Huntington Beach, CA. I am a 2004 graduate of Huntington (CA) High. While I was there, I was named Sunset League Pitcher of the Year, first-team All-CIF and was All Orange County as a senior. I played prep ball with LAA Prospect C Hank Conger. My father, Tom, runs a surf board manufacturing company, yet heavily promoted participation in baseball. I credit my surfing background with helping build arm strength. I’m a big hockey fan and an avid fantasy football player.

2008 Highlights

In first taste of big leagues, pitched better than 3-7, 5.51 ERA numbers indicate…made 15 starts after having contract selected from Columbus, June 30…walked 2 or less 10 times…combining Triple-A and big league stats, went 12-10 with a 4.76 ERA (84 ER/158.2 IP) in 30 starts and finished the campaign just 4 months past 22nd birthday…held opponents without a hit through the game’s first 3 innings on 5 occasions…thus, posted a .210 batting average against the first time through the lineup, .338 thereafter…ranked among NL rookies in starts (tied for 7th, 15) and innings (9th, 80.0).
Game-By-Game Highlights: By allowing just one run on one hit in 5.0 innings, July 1 at FLA, posted the “W” and became only the 2nd franchise pitcher to garner a win in an MLB debut on the road (immortal Expos RHP Hal Dues had previously turned the trick on Sept. 9, 1977 at PIT)…in 2nd inning of that initial start, fanned Cody Ross for first big league punch out…earned the win at Derek Lowe’s expense, August 26 vs. LAD, allowing one run in 5.0 innings.
In minor leagues: Went 9-3 with a 4.00 ERA in 15 starts with Columbus of the Triple-A International League at the time of first big league promotion…was 8-1 with a 3.90 ERA in final 10 IL starts…was 4-0 with a 2.82 ERA in 4 June assignments and was named Nationals Minor League Pitcher of the Month…at time of promotion, was tied for 3rd in the IL with 9 wins despite being one of the IL’s younger pitchers…allowed 2 runs or less in 9 of 15 IL starts.