Roger Steven Salkeld (born February 21, 1971) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. A right-hander, Salkeld played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners (1993–1995) and the San Diego Padres (1996).
Early Life and Amateur Career
Salkeld was born in Wilmington, California. He attended Kennedy High School in La Palma, California, where he excelled as a pitcher. His talent drew significant attention from professional scouts, leading to his selection in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft.
Professional Career
Salkeld was drafted by the Seattle Mariners as the 15th overall pick in the 1989 MLB draft. He was considered a highly touted prospect with a powerful fastball.
He made his MLB debut with the Mariners on September 1, 1993, at the age of 22. He spent parts of three seasons with the Mariners, primarily as a starting pitcher. His time in Seattle was marked by struggles with consistency and injuries.
Before the 1996 season, Salkeld was traded by the Mariners to the San Diego Padres for outfielder Greg Vaughn. He played one season with the Padres, appearing in a relief role for the majority of his appearances. Injuries continued to plague his career, ultimately leading to his early retirement from professional baseball after the 1996 season.
Over his four-year MLB career, Salkeld appeared in 58 games (32 starts), compiling a record of 10 wins and 20 losses with an earned run average (ERA) of 5.51. He pitched 198.0 innings, striking out 113 batters.
Post-Playing Career
Following his retirement from baseball, Salkeld largely remained out of the public eye.
See Also
- List of Seattle Mariners first-round draft picks
- List of San Diego Padres players
Categories
- 1971 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from California
- Seattle Mariners players
- San Diego Padres players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- American baseball pitchers