2020 Review: P Dan Altavilla

Dan Altavilla was born and raised in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania where he attended Mercyhurst University, a Division II school in nearby Erie. As a sophomore, Altavilla played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. The following year, he posted a 9-1 record in 12 games for Mercyhurst. In 80 ¹⁄₃ innings, Altavilla struckout a school record 129 batters .

Altavilla would go on to be drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft with the 141st pick.

His first two years as a professional were spent with the Everett Aquasox (A) in 2014 and the Bakersfield Blaze (A-Advanced) in 2015. He started with the Jackson Generals (AA) but would end up getting called up and making his major league debut with the Mariners on August 27. He spent the rest of the 2016 season with Seattle, pitching just 12 ¹⁄₃ innings.

The 2017 season saw Altavilla get bounced up and down from the Mariners to the Tacoma Rainers (AAA). With Tacoma, he was 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA. In 44 games with Seattle that year, he finished 1-1 with an ERA of 4.24.

The 2018 and 2019 seasons were unfortunately filled with injuries that didn’t let Altavilla find any consistency. Combined, he appeared in just 39 games over that two-year span.

Altavilla was traded to the Padres on August 30 of 2020 in the trade that also sent Austin Nola and Austin Adams to San Diego. In nine appearances for the Friars, he finished with a record of 1-1 and an ERA of 3.12.

2020 particulars

Age: 28

Stats: (SEA/SD) 2-3 record, 22 games, 20 ¹⁄₃ IP, 24 strikeouts, 1.48 WHIP, allowed 18 hits, 13 earned runs, three home runs, and 12 walks

Salary: $800,00

Game of the year

Altavilla’s best game came against the Angels on September 23. He pitched 1 ¹⁄₃ inning, striking out two and walking one while allowing no hits or runs.