Sanford resident Rob Wooten has signed a deal with the Atlanta Braves, according to baseball news aggregator MLBTradeRumors.com.
“The 30-year-old appeared in the Brewers bullpen in the 2013 through 2015 seasons, posting a combined 5.03 ERA, 7.0 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 and throwing in the high 80s. He spent most of 2015, in a tough pitching environment at Triple-A Colorado Springs, with a 4.67 ERA, 8.7 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 over 52 innings,” the website noted recently.
Wooten first made the major leagues in 2013, according to this article in the Sanford Herald. Around the same time, the Pinehurst Gazette reported on a visit he paid to children at a baseball facility in West End.
Wooten is also listed as a coach at Sanford’s Line Drive Baseball and Softball Academy. The company’s website notes that Wooten played college ball at UNC, participated in three college World Series, and offers private pitching lessons.
The nature of the deal is unknown, as the Braves don’t appear to have announced the signing. But Wooten and his family are likely happy that his change of scenery means a chance to pitch closer to home.
For his part, Wooten has noted in multiple tweets that he’s excited to pitch for the team he grew up as a fan of.