A former WPIAL Most Valuable Player from Norwin is joining the Washington Wild Things.
Left-handed pitcher Tommy Shirley, a former Houston Astros draft pick with Triple-A minor league experience, was acquired by the local Frontier League team from the New York Boulders.
“We are excited to give Tommy the opportunity to come home,” Wild Things general manager Tony Buccilli said in a news release. “Being a Pittsburgh kid, playing in Washington was a priority for him. He is eager to show that he can still be that front-line starter he was profiled as. We greatly value his mound experience and the resume of high-level starts he accumulated over the years.”
In 2014, Shirley was an all-star in Double-A with the Corpus Christi Hooks. He had a 1.88 ERA in 13 games in the Texas League before moving up to Triple-A and playing for the Oklahoma City Redhawks and the Fresno Grizzlies, where he made a combined 21 starts.
Shirley later was claimed by the Detroit Tigers but ended up joining the Boulders last year, where he struck out 43 in 57 innings.
At Norwin in 2007, Shirley went 7-1 with a 0.97 ERA. He began his college career at Xavier but was selected by the Astros in the 9th round after his junior year.
He had 98 strikeouts in 96 innings that season across 15 starts.
Washington opens the season May 15 on the road against Shirley’s former Boulders team. The home opener at Wild Things Park is May 19 against the Quebec Capitales.
2020 TRADE ?
— Washington Wild Things (@WashWildThings) January 31, 2020
We acquire @wpial_baseball & @Baseball_Norwin ? LHP Tommy Shirley
9th Round Pick, Double-A All Star, 21 Triple-A starts w/ @astros
10 starts, 57 innings, 43 Ks in '19 w/ @nyboulders
Home cookin' for Tommy when we #ChaseBigThings?
?: https://t.co/6XsUgSy020 pic.twitter.com/TpdFark55I
