GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Former Furman pitcher Matt Klinker has earned the second promotion of his professional career, it was announced today.
Klinker, a 15th round draft selection by the Cincinnati Reds in 2007, has been promoted from the Dayton Dragons, the Reds’ low class A squad in the Midwest League, to the high A Sarasota Reds of the Florida State League.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander posted a 6-4 record and 3.26 earned run average in 18 starts at Dayton this year prior to his call-up to Sarasota. In 105.0 innings of work with the Dragons, he surrendered 98 hits, 38 earned runs, and 27 walks while recording 76 strikeouts. Opponents hit .251 against him.
His promotion follows an impressive July when, in five starts, he went 3-0 with a 1.36 ERA, tossing 33.0 innings and surrendering 25 hits, and five earned runs. He struck out 23 and issued only three walks during that span. Opponents hit just .214 against him. He was named Midwest League Pitcher-of-the-Week on July 21.
Klinker spent the 2006 season at Billings, going 2-2 with a 5.44 ERA.
The West Chester, Ohio, product graduated from Furman in June of 2007 with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration. He was a 2007 selection to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities was twice named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
As a senior at Furman he posted a 5-6 record and 4.57 earned run average. In a staff leading 86 2/3 innings of work, he surrendered 85 hits and 26 walks while recording 70 strikeouts. Opponents hit .254 against him.
For his career he posted a 16-15 record and 4.53 ERA. His 16 victories rank eighth in school history, and his 223 career strikeouts is the fifth highest total by a Paladin. During his Paladin tenure Klinker helped Furman to a pair of 30-win seasons, including a 2005 campaign that saw Furman win the Southern Conference Tournament championship en route to the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. He went 6-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 2006 in keying Furman to a 32-23 season and third place SoCon regular season finish.
Furman currently has five products playing professional baseball, including right-handed relief pitcher Tom Mastny `03 of the Cleveland Indians, catcher Tony Maccani ?07 of the South Atlantic League Savannah Sand Gnats (New York Mets), right-handed pitcher Matt Klinker ?07 of the Florida State League Sarasota Reds (Cincinnati Reds), right-handed pitcher Jay Jackson ?08 of the Midwest League Peoria Chiefs (Chicago Cubs), and right-handed pitcher Mason Smith ?08 of the Gulf Coast League Nationals (Washington Nationals).