Future Watch: Justus Sheffield Rookie Baseball Cards, Mariners – Justus Sheffield was drafted by the Cleveland Indians with the 31st overall pick in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft. He’s on a journey.
In 2014, he was 3-1 in rookie ball to start off his career. Then in 2015, he was 9-4 for the Lake County Captains in Class-A.
In July of 2016, he was traded to the New York Yankees. A kid out of Tennessee had a chance to play in the Bronx.
In 2017, he got as high as Double-A with a 7-6 record and 3.18 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings for the Trenton Thunder.
In November of 2018, he was traded to Seattle in the James Paxton trade.
He has a 2017 Bowman Baseball Chrome Prospects Autographs card and that’s a good way to get him into your collection.
Now 23, the lefty has had a rough start with the Mariners. Put him on your watch list many expect that he’ll right the ship and then have a nice pro career.
According to his MLB.com draft profile:
Sheffield could have three plus pitches when all is said and done. His 92-97 mph fastball features some run and sink and is his most consistent offering, though his mid-80s slider may have more upside. His changeup isn’t as reliable as his first two options, yet he still shows the ability to miss bats with it. Throwing strikes consistently remains a challenge for Sheffield, as he regressed with his control in 2018 after making strides the previous year. Though Sheffield is a little shorter than desired for a starter, he still creates downhill plane with his delivery and doesn’t throw with excessive effort. His athleticism and durability aid his chances of becoming a No. 3 starter, though he’ll need to make further gains with his control and refine his changeup to reach that potential. ETA NOW.
Here is a look at him in action:
Future Watch: Justus Sheffield Rookie Baseball Cards, Mariners – Stats
| Year | Age | AgeDif | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | W | L | W-L% | ERA | RA9 | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | WHIP | H9 | HR9 | BB9 | SO9 | SO/W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 18 | -2.4 | Indians | ARIZ | Rk | CLE | 3 | 1 | .750 | 4.79 | 6.97 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.2 | 24 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 94 | 1.597 | 10.5 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 12.6 | 3.22 |
| 2015 | 19 | -2.9 | Lake County | MIDW | A | CLE | 9 | 4 | .692 | 3.31 | 4.23 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 127.2 | 135 | 60 | 47 | 8 | 38 | 0 | 138 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 555 | 1.355 | 9.5 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 9.7 | 3.63 |
| 2016 | 20 | 3 Teams | 3 Lgs | A+-AA | CLE | 10 | 6 | .625 | 3.09 | 3.38 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 125.1 | 107 | 47 | 43 | 6 | 53 | 0 | 129 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 526 | 1.277 | 7.7 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 9.3 | 2.43 | |
| 2016 | 20 | -4.5 | Trenton | EL | AA | NYY | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2.25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1.250 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 6.8 | 20.3 | 3.00 | |
| 2016 | 20 | -2.9 | Lynchburg | CARL | A+ | CLE | 7 | 5 | .583 | 3.59 | 3.78 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95.1 | 91 | 40 | 38 | 6 | 40 | 0 | 93 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 408 | 1.374 | 8.6 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 8.8 | 2.33 |
| 2016 | 20 | -3.1 | Tampa | FLOR | A+ | NYY | 3 | 1 | .750 | 1.73 | 2.08 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26.0 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 99 | 0.923 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 9.3 | 2.70 |
| 2017 | 21 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | AA-Rk | NYY | 7 | 7 | .500 | 3.12 | 4.04 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 98.0 | 98 | 44 | 34 | 14 | 34 | 1 | 88 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 423 | 1.347 | 9.0 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 8.1 | 2.59 | |
| 2017 | 21 | -3.3 | Trenton | EL | AA | NYY | 7 | 6 | .538 | 3.18 | 4.15 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 93.1 | 94 | 43 | 33 | 14 | 33 | 1 | 82 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 405 | 1.361 | 9.1 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 7.9 | 2.48 |
| 2017 | 21 | 0.5 | Yankees West | GULF | Rk | NYY | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1.93 | 1.93 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1.071 | 7.7 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 11.6 | 6.00 |
| 2017 | 21 | -2.5 | Scottsdale | AZFL | Fal | 2 | 2 | .500 | 3.10 | 3.54 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.1 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 76 | 0.836 | 6.2 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 9.7 | 7.33 | |
| 2018 | 22 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | AAA-AA | NYY | 7 | 6 | .538 | 2.48 | 2.87 | 25 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 116.0 | 82 | 37 | 32 | 4 | 50 | 0 | 123 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 475 | 1.138 | 6.4 | 0.3 | 3.9 | 9.5 | 2.46 | |
| 2018 | 22 | -6.6 | NYY | AL | MLB | NYY | 0 | 0 | 10.13 | 10.13 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 2.625 | 13.5 | 3.4 | 10.1 | 0.0 | 0.00 | |
| 2018 | 22 | -4.2 | Scranton/Wilkes-Barre | IL | AAA | NYY | 6 | 4 | .600 | 2.56 | 2.86 | 20 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88.0 | 66 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 84 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 363 | 1.159 | 6.8 | 0.3 | 3.7 | 8.6 | 2.33 |
| 2018 | 22 | -2.4 | Trenton | EL | AA | NYY | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2.25 | 2.89 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 112 | 1.071 | 5.1 | 0.3 | 4.5 | 12.5 | 2.79 |
| 2019 | 23 | -5.8 | SEA | AL | MLB | SEA | 0 | 0 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2.000 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 12.0 | 9.0 | 0.75 | |
| 2019 | 23 | -3.8 | Tacoma | PCL | AAA | SEA | 2 | 5 | .286 | 5.74 | 6.58 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53.1 | 52 | 39 | 34 | 9 | 40 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 250 | 1.725 | 8.8 | 1.5 | 6.8 | 7.8 | 1.15 |
| Year | Age | AgeDif | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | W | L | W-L% | ERA | RA9 | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | WHIP | H9 | HR9 | BB9 | SO9 | SO/W |
| MLB (2 seasons) | MLB | 0 | 0 | 7.94 | 7.94 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 2.294 | 9.5 | 3.2 | 11.1 | 4.8 | 0.43 | ||||||
| Minors (6 seasons) | Minors | 38 | 29 | .567 | 3.34 | 4.04 | 115 | 105 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 541.0 | 498 | 243 | 201 | 41 | 224 | 1 | 553 | 12 | 3 | 43 | 2323 | 1.335 | 8.3 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 9.2 | 2.47 | |||||
| All Levels (6 Seasons) | 40 | 31 | .563 | 3.38 | 4.06 | 124 | 110 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 567.0 | 518 | 256 | 213 | 43 | 234 | 1 | 578 | 12 | 3 | 47 | 2427 | 1.326 | 8.2 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 9.2 | 2.47 | ||||||
| AAA (2 seasons) | Minors | 8 | 9 | .471 | 3.76 | 4.27 | 32 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 141.1 | 118 | 67 | 59 | 12 | 76 | 0 | 130 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 613 | 1.373 | 7.5 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 8.3 | 1.71 | |||||
| AA (3 seasons) | Minors | 8 | 8 | .500 | 2.87 | 3.81 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 125.1 | 112 | 53 | 40 | 15 | 50 | 1 | 130 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 536 | 1.293 | 8.0 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 9.3 | 2.60 | |||||
| A+ (1 season) | Minors | 10 | 6 | .625 | 3.19 | 3.41 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 121.1 | 105 | 46 | 43 | 6 | 50 | 0 | 120 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 507 | 1.277 | 7.8 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 8.9 | 2.40 | |||||
| Rk (2 seasons) | Minors | 3 | 2 | .600 | 4.26 | 6.04 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.1 | 28 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 112 | 1.500 | 9.9 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 12.4 | 3.50 | |||||
Future Watch: Justus Sheffield Rookie Baseball Cards, Mariners – More Resources
Future Watch: Justus Sheffield Rookie Baseball Cards, Mariners – Image Gallery
For more from Russ Cohen, follow him on Twitter @sportsology.
Russ Cohen
is the author of several top-selling sports related books.
Baseball’s Best Rookies
Numbers Don’t Lie: Mets: The Biggest Numbers in Mets History
100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters
100 Things Rangers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
“Strike Three!” – A Player’s Journey through the Infamous Baseball Strike of 1994
The Winter Classic: The NHL’s Savior
The Philadelphia Flyers: Images of Sports
Pioneers of Baseball
- NHL Future Watch: Sean Farrell Hockey Cards, Montreal Canadiens - April 23, 2024
- MLB Future Watch: Zach Neto Baseball Cards, LA Angels - April 19, 2024
- NFL Future Watch: Demario Douglas Football Cards, New England Patriots - April 18, 2024