{{short description|American baseball player (born 1989)}} {{about||the English cricketer|Stephen Pryor (cricketer)|the president of ExxonMobil Chemical Company|Stephen D. Pryor}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2014}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name = Stephen Pryor | image = Stephen Pryor pitching for the GCL Twins in 2015 (Cropped).jpg | width = 230 | caption = Pryor pitching for the GCL Twins in 2015 | position = Pitcher | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|7|23}} | birth_place = Donelson, Tennessee, U.S. | bats = Right | throws = Right |debutleague = MLB | debutdate = June 2 | debutyear = 2012 | debutteam = Seattle Mariners | finaldate = July 9 | finalyear = 2014 | finalteam = Seattle Mariners |statleague = MLB | stat1label = Win–loss record | stat1value = 3–1 | stat2label = Earned run average | stat2value = 2.81 | stat3label = Strikeouts | stat3value = 35 | teams = * Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2012}}–{{mlby|2014}}) | highlights = * Pitched a combined no-hitter on June 8, 2012 }} '''Stephen Michael Pryor''' (born July 23, 1989) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who pitched in three seasons for the Seattle Mariners. Pryor made his MLB debut on June 2, 2012. Six days later, he won his first game in a combined no-hitter started by Kevin Millwood.
==Amateur career== Pryor attended Friendship Christian School in Lebanon, Tennessee, where he pitched for the school's baseball team.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Parrott |first=Joshua |date=2007-05-23 |title=Huntingdon rolls past FCS |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-sun-huntingdon-rolls-past-fc/157388478/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |work=The Jackson Sun |page=35 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Undrafted out of high school, Pryor began his college baseball career at Cleveland State Community College in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-03-08 |title=Cleveland State Baseball Has Banner Recruiting Class |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2007/3/8/103207/Cleveland-State-Baseball-Has-Banner.aspx |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Chattanoogan.com |language=en}}</ref> The Texas Rangers drafted Pryor in the 42nd round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign.<ref>{{cite web |date= |title=Texas Rangers 2008 Draft Results |url=http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/team/draft.jsp?c_id=tex&year=2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018120709/http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/team/draft.jsp?c_id=tex&year=2008 |archive-date=October 18, 2011 |access-date= |website=MLB.com}}</ref> After playing at Cleveland State for two seasons, Pryor transferred to Tennessee Technological University, where he played for the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles as their closer.<ref name=signed/> Pryor pitched to a 4–4 win–loss record with a 5.71 earned run average, 22 walks, and 75 strikeouts in 24 appearances for the Golden Eagles in 2010.
==Professional career== ===Seattle Mariners=== The Seattle Mariners drafted Pryor in the fifth round (162nd overall) of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed with them.<ref name="signed">{{cite press release |title=Mariners sign 17 players from 2010 Draft |date=June 14, 2010 |publisher=MLB.com |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100614&content_id=11181018&vkey=pr_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417062559/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100614&content_id=11181018&vkey=pr_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |archive-date=2014-04-17}}</ref> He began his professional career with the Everett AquaSox of the Low-A Northwest League that year.<ref name=signed/>
Pryor advanced to the Clinton LumberKings of the Single-A Midwest League in August 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lezotte |first=Dave |date=August 24, 2010 |title=Bats Back Wilhelmsen as Kings Punish Peoria |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-13887996 |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> He pitched for the High Desert Mavericks of the High-A California League and Jackson Generals of the Double-A Southern League in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last=Glaser |first=Kyle |date=July 16, 2011 |title=Mavericks Notebook: Griffey leading Blaze |url=http://www.vvdailypress.com/sports/leading-28918-adelanto-blaze.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417060445/http://www.vvdailypress.com/sports/leading-28918-adelanto-blaze.html |archive-date=April 17, 2014 |website=Victorville Daily Press}}</ref>
MLB.com ranked Pryor as the ninth-best Mariners' prospect prior to the 2012 season.<ref>{{cite web |date= |title=2012 Prospect Watch |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/index.jsp?c_id=sea#list=sea |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215234743/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/index.jsp?c_id=sea#list=sea |archive-date=February 15, 2012 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> He started the year with Jackson, before receiving a promotion to the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in May.<ref>{{cite web |author=Delk |first=Craig |date=May 14, 2012 |title=UC CONNECTIONS Pryor one step away from Majors |url=http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/18592006/article-UC-CONNECTIONS--Pryor-one-step-away-from-Majors?instance=home_sports |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417213613/http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/18592006/article-UC-CONNECTIONS--Pryor-one-step-away-from-Majors?instance=home_sports |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2014 |access-date=June 10, 2012 |website=Herald Citizen |publication-place=Cookeville, Tennessee}}</ref> Pryor was promoted to the majors for the first time on May 31, 2012.<ref>{{cite web |last=Johns |first=Greg |date=June 1, 2012 |title=Mariners promote relief prospect Pryor |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120601&content_id=32587334&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417080749/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120601&content_id=32587334&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-date=2014-04-17 |access-date= |website=MLB.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2012-06-01 |title=Mariners promote Pryor from Class AAA |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/06/01/mariners-promote-pryor-from-class-aaa/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US |agency=Reuters}}</ref> He made his MLB debut two days later against the Chicago White Sox. Pryor recorded his first MLB win on June 8, as part of a combined no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a game started by Kevin Millwood. The game was only his fourth MLB appearance. Charlie Furbush, Brandon League, Lucas Luetge, and Tom Wilhelmsen also appeared in the game for Seattle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stephen Pryor 2012 Pitching Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=pryorst01&t=p&year=2012 |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Baseball Reference}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Star |first=Jon |date=June 9, 2012 |title=Mariners rookie Stephen Pryor earns first career win in no-hitter | MLB.com: News |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120609&content_id=33023652&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417053128/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120609&content_id=33023652&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-date=2014-04-17 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> Pryor made 26 appearances for the Mariners during his rookie campaign, compiling a 3-1 record and 3.91 ERA with 27 strikeouts over 23 innings of work.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stephen Pryor 2012 pitching Stats Per Game|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/31922/year/2012/category/pitching|access-date=December 22, 2025|website=espn.com|language=en}}</ref>
In April 2013, Pryor was placed on the 60-day disabled list for a torn right latissimus dorsi muscle, and on July 16, he served as a starting pitcher for the Everett AquaSox against the Vancouver Canadians.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lommers|first=Aaron|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130716/SPORTS/707169939/0/sports|title=Mariners pitchers to start for AquaSox|newspaper=The Herald|date=July 16, 2013|access-date=July 17, 2013}}</ref> On August 11, Pryor underwent surgery to repair a torn tricep, ending his season.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Johns|first1=Greg|title=Inbox: Hultzen and Pryor at different stages of rehabs|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/sea/mariners-inbox-danny-hultzen-and-stephen-pryor-rehabbing?ymd=20131114&content_id=63922778&vkey=news_sea|access-date=July 25, 2014|work=MLB.com|date=November 14, 2013}}</ref> Prior to the injury, he had recorded seven scoreless appearances for Seattle, with seven strikeouts in {{fraction|7|1|3}} innings.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stephen Pryor 2013 pitching Stats Per Game|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/31922/year/2013/category/pitching|access-date=December 22, 2025|website=espn.com|language=en}}</ref>
Pryor made one appearance for Seattle during the 2014 season, tossing a {{fraction|1|2|3}} innings against the Minnesota Twins on July 9, 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stephen Pryor 2014 pitching Stats Per Game|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/31922/year/2014/category/pitching|access-date=December 22, 2025|website=espn.com|language=en}}</ref>
===Minnesota Twins=== On July 24, 2014, Pryor was traded to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Kendrys Morales.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Divish|first1=Ryan|title=Mariners trade for Kendrys Morales|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2024151132_marinersmorales25xml.html|access-date=July 25, 2014|publisher=Seattle Times|date=July 24, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Twins trade 1B Kendrys Morales to Mariners|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=11259920|access-date=July 25, 2014|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|date=July 24, 2014}}</ref> He made 14 appearances down the stretch for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, recording a 1-0 record and 0.89 ERA with 22 strikeouts and two saves across {{fraction|20|1|3}} innings pitched.
On March 29, 2015, Pryor was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Rochester.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twins Outright Stephen Pryor|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/03/twins-outright-stephen-pryor.html|access-date=December 22, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}</ref> On May 13, Pryor underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twins prospect Stephen Pryor suffers torn meniscus|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/twins-prospect-stephen-pryor-suffers-torn-meniscus/|access-date=December 22, 2025|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}</ref> He made 15 appearances split between Rochester and the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Twins during the year, accumulating a 1-2 record and 5.96 ERA with 26 strikeouts across {{fraction|22|2|3}} innings pitched. Pryor was released by the Twins organization on December 17.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stephen Pryor Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pryorst01.shtml |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Baseball Reference}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== {{Portal|Baseball}} {{baseballstats|mlb=543668|espn=31922|br=p/pryorst01|fangraphs=10663|brm=pryor-001ste}} :
{{s-start}} {{Succession box|title=No-hit game |before=Johan Santana| years= June 8, {{by|2012}}<br/> (with Millwood, Furbush, Luetge, League, & Wilhelmsen) |after=Matt Cain}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pryor, Stephen}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Seattle Mariners players Category:Cleveland State Cougars baseball players Category:Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles baseball players Category:Everett AquaSox players Category:Clinton LumberKings players Category:High Desert Mavericks players Category:Jackson Generals (Southern League) players Category:Tacoma Rainiers players Category:Rochester Red Wings players Category:Cardenales de Lara players Category:American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Category:People from Donelson, Tennessee Category:Sportspeople from Davidson County, Tennessee