Craig Dingman

Following pitching success at Wichita North High School and Hutchinson Community College, right hander Craig Dingman signed with the New York Yankee after being drafted in the 36th round of the 1993 draft.

Dingman debuted with the Yankees in 2000.  He was traded to Colorado prior to the 2001 season and pitched for four different organizations over the next three years, including a stint in Mexico.

In 2004, Dingman signed with the Detroit Tigers and found success out of the bullpen.  He appeared in 24 games in 2004 and 34 games in 2005, pitching to an earned run average of 3.66 and saving four games.

While playing catch in early 2006, Dingman’s throwing hand became pale and his arm lost circulation.  He was diagnosed with a torn artery in his right shoulder and had arterial bypass surgery in which an artery was transplanted into his injured shoulder, re-routing blood around the damaged vessel.  The procedure was the first of its kind in major league baseball.

Dingman returned to the Tigers in 2007 but suffered a blood clot and fatigue in his shoulder, forcing him to retire.