{{short description|American baseball player (born 1976)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography | image = | name = Justin Kaye | position = Relief pitcher | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|6|9}} | birth_place = Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. | bats = Right | throws = Right |debutleague = MLB | debutdate = May 9 | debutyear = 2002 | debutteam = Seattle Mariners |finalleague = MLB | finaldate = May 16 | finalyear = 2002 | finalteam = Seattle Mariners |statleague = MLB | stat1label = Win–loss record | stat1value = 0–0 | stat2label = Earned run average | stat2value = 12.00 | stat3label = Strikeouts | stat3value = 3 | teams = * Seattle Mariners ({{Baseball year|2002}}) | highlights = }} '''Justin Malcolm Kaye''' (born June 9, 1976) is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played one season for the Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2002}}).
==Early life== Kaye began playing baseball at the suggestion of a family friend upon moving from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Las Vegas, Nevada at twelve years old. Even so, he chose to play football instead of baseball as a freshman at Bishop Gorman High School. He began play high school baseball as a sophomore and threw a one-hitter that year against Green Valley High School.<ref name="bigshow">{{cite news |last1=Sun |first1=Victoria |title=LV's Kaye trying to make 'big show' |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2001/jun/07/lvs-kaye-trying-to-make-big-show/ |access-date=9 June 2021 |work=Las Vegas Sun |date=June 7, 2001 |language=en}}</ref> He signed with the Seattle Mariners after being selected in the 19th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>{{cite web |title=19th Round of the 1995 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1995&draft_round=19&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=9 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
==Professional career== Kaye was assigned to the Arizona League Mariners to begin his professional career in 1995 and spent his first two seasons entirely in the Arizona League.<ref name="minors">{{cite web |title=Justin Kaye Minor Leagues Statistics & History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kaye--001jus |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=9 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> In 1997, the Mariners attempted to convert him to a starting pitcher with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and he struggled badly enough that he considered retirement. Kaye progressed through the minor league ranks over the following seasons and was invited to Major League spring training for the first time in 2001.<ref name="bigshow" /> He ultimately made his Major League debut on May 9, 2002, pitching a scoreless inning in relief of Shigetoshi Hasegawa at Safeco Field.<ref name="minors" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners Box Score, May 9, 2002 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA200205090.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=9 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He would appear in two more games that season, pitching a total of three innings and surrendering four earned runs.<ref name="minors" /> The Mariners demoted him to Triple-A Tacoma on May 24, 2002<ref>{{cite web |title=Major League Baseball Transactions |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/?c_id=mlb&year=2002&month=5 |website=MLB.com |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=9 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> and ultimately designated him for assignment in September 2002.<ref>{{cite news |title=AUTO RACINGNASCARRoush Racing Ford: Named Paul Andrews... |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-09-05-0209050230-story.html |access-date=9 June 2021 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=September 5, 2002}}</ref>
On November 21, 2002, Kaye signed with the Boston Red Sox and was invited to Major League spring training.<ref>{{cite web |title=Major League Baseball Transactions |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/?c_id=mlb&year=2002&month=11 |website=MLB.com |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=9 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> From 2003 to 2005, Kaye played in the farm systems of the Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. His final professional season came in 2005 with the Altoona Curve.<ref name="minors" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|br=k/kayeju01|brm=kaye--001jus|retro=K/Pkayej001}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaye, Justin}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Altoona Curve players Category:Arizona League Mariners players Category:Baseball players from Fort Lauderdale, Florida Category:Bishop Gorman High School alumni Category:Cardenales de Lara players Category:American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Category:Iowa Cubs players Category:Lancaster JetHawks players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:New Haven Ravens players Category:Pawtucket Red Sox players Category:Seattle Mariners players Category:Baseball players from Las Vegas Category:Tacoma Rainiers players Category:Trenton Thunder players Category:Wisconsin Timber Rattlers players