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McLeary, who was selected in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox in 1997, is in his eighth season of professional baseball. After pitching in the Boston minor league system for six years and playing in the Double A All-Star Game (2001) and the Arizona Fall League (2002), McLeary signed with the Florida Marlins in 2003 and pitched primarily with the Albuquerque Isotopes (Triple A).

This season, McLeary was traded to the San Diego Padres just prior to the start of the season and has spent the entire year with the Portland Beavers (Triple A), where he has compiled a 2-4 record with a 3.53 ERA and one save. In 63 2/3 innings of work, he has struck out 62 batters and issued just 31 walks. He has spent time this year as a starter and in middle relief, and most recently has made two appearances as the Portland closer in which he struck out all six batters he faced. McLeary also hit the first home run of his professional career earlier this season against the Edmonton Trappers.

McLeary, who is a native of Mansfield, Ohio, and graduated from Mansfield Christian School, starred from 1995-1997 at MVNU before being drafted by the Red Sox. He holds the school’s career ERA record of 2.35, and he still ranks fifth in career victories with 26 and fourth in career shutouts with five.