Sharp is the 240th former Northwoods League player to debut in MLB
Rochester, Minn. – Former Madison Mallard Sterling Sharp, made his Major League debut for the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, August 5, 2020. Sharp is the 240th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level.
Sharp, who played collegiately at Drury University, played for the Madison Mallards in 2014 and 2015. He was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 22nd round of the 2016 MLB draft.
During the 2014 season with the Mallards, Sharp appeared in 12 games and was 4-7 with a 4.47 ERA. He struck out 41 batters in 56.1 innings and was chosen as a mid-season All-Star. In 2015, Sharp appeared in three games and was 2-0 with a 3.85 ERA and eight strikeouts. He pitched in one game during the playoffs and went 6.0 innings allowing no runs on three hits while striking out four.
Sharp made his professional debut in 2016 with the Nationals Rookie level team in the Gulf Coast League. After posting a 3-0 record with a 3.24 ERA and 1.27 WHIP he was promoted to the Auburn Doubledays of the Short-Season A New York Penn League. He made one start in Auburn to end the season.
He began 2017 with the Hagerstown Suns of the Lo-A South Atlantic League and was later promoted to the Potomac Nationals of the Hi-A Carolina League. In 24 games between both teams, he went 6-11 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in 124.1 innings.
In 2018, Sharp returned to Potomac and then was promoted to the AA Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League in June. For the season he went a combined 11-6 with a 3.70 ERA. He struck out 105 batters in 148.1 innings and walked 47.
In 2019, Sharp battled injury issues, missing almost three months of the regular season with an oblique strain. He would start the season in the Gulf Coast League and then after one game he would appear in two games for Auburn and then nine games in Harrisburg. Sharp was 5-4 on the year with a 3.53 ERA. He struck out 52 batters in 58.2 innings and had a 1.295 WHIP
On December 12, 2019, Sharp was selected third overall in the 2019 Rule 5 draft by the Miami Marlins. Sharp made the Marlins Opening Day roster for the 2020 season. In his Major League debut against the Orioles, Sharp entered the game in relief in the 3rd inning. He would go on to pitch 1.2 innings allowing no runs on one hit while striking out one.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 27th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, 240 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
