JUSTIN
BLOOD (Retired) Left-hander Justin Blood was just the second student-athlete in Franklin Pierce history to be drafted by a major league sports team when the Seattle Mariners selected him in the ninth round of the 2001 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. The 279th pick overall, Blood was quickly assigned to the Everett (Wash.) AquaSox, the Mariners Class-A affiliate in the Northwest League. Blood returned to Everett at the outset of the 2002 season, but was promoted to the Mariners Class-A Advanced California League affiliate the San Bernardino Stampede after less than two weeks. Blood also got the opportunity to join the big league club for an exhibition game against the Mariners Class A affiliate in Wisconsin. He pitched an inning of scoreless relief in the Seattle victory. Blood returned to San Bernardino, renamed the Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino, in 2003 and helped lead the 66ers to the California League title. Blood was promoted to the Mariners AAA roster over the winter to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, but he decided to retire in January and plans to return to Franklin Pierce to complete his undergraduate degree and pursue a career in coaching.
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