Education
Prior to playing professionally, Below attended Britton-Macon Area School District, in Britton, Michigan and Lake Michigan College.
Prior to playing professionally, Below attended Britton-Macon Area School District, in Britton, Michigan and Lake Michigan College.
He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers and in the of Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for the Kia Tigers and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Professional Major League Baseball
= Detroit Tigers He was drafted by the Tigers in the 19th round of the 2006 amateur draft and began his professional career that year. He is the first player from Britton to be on a major league roster.
Below pitched for two teams in 2006, the GCL Tigers (15 games) and the Oneonta Tigers (two games).
Overall, he went 2–0 with a 2.09 European Research Area in 17 games (six starts). In 2007, he pitched for the West Michigan Whitecaps, going 13–5 with a 2.97 European Research Area in 26 starts, striking out 160 batters in 145⅔ innings.
With the Lakeland Flying Tigers in 2008, he went 8–7 with a 4.46 European Research Area in 27 games (26 starts). He split 2009 between Lakeland (six games) and the Erie SeaWolves (two games), going 2–4 with a 2.70 European Research Area in eight starts overall.
With Erie again in 2010, he went 7–12 with a 4.93 European Research Area in 28 starts.
Following the reassignment of Charlie Furbush from the Tigers to the Toledo Mud Hens, Below was called up to assume a starting vacancy. Below took the place on the active roster spot for Adam Wilk, while Casper Wells was reassigned to allow Furbush to return to the bullpen. Below made his major league debut against the Oakland Athletics on July 20, 2011, allowing one earned run in five innings.
Below earned a no-decision in the game.
Below went 0–2 in 14 games in 2011. In 2012, Below was on the opening roster for the Tigers for the first time in his career, made available after an injury to Luis Marte.
In his first two appearances of the season, Below earned wins in relief against the Boston Red Sox. The Tigers designated Below for assignment on April 24, 2013.
= Miami Marlins Below was claimed off waivers on April 25, 2013, by the Miami Marlins, who assigned him to Triple-A.
= Second stint with the Tigers Below signed a minor league deal to return to the Tigers on December 11, 2013.
= New York Mets On February 7, 2015, Below signed a Minor League deal with the New York Mets. Below spent the entire 2015 season with the Las Vegas 51s with a 4-3 record, 2.19 European Research Area and 1.10 WHIP with 28 strikeouts over 49.1 innings pitched. On December 14, 2015, Below signed back with the Mets.
of Korea Baseball Organization
= Kia Tigers Below signed with the Kia Tigers of the of Korea Baseball Organization in August 2013.
Below"s primary pitch is a four-seam fastball at 89–92 mph. He also throws a slider (83–86), a 12–6 curveball (77–80), a changeup (83–85), and an occasional two-seam fastball.
His repertoire against left-handed hitters is mostly fastball-slider-curveball, while against right-handers he substitutes the changeup for the curveball. His pitches have below-average whiff rates, and his K/9 rate is 5.1.