Collin Thomas Balester (born June 6, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Balester was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 2004, making his professional debut that year. By 2007, he was considered a top prospect for the newly-relocated Nationals, with him participating in that season's All-Star Futures Game. On July 1, 2008, he made his MLB debut with the Nationals, winning in his debut as a starter, becoming the first Expo or National to do so since 1999. That season, he went on to make 14 starts for Washington, recording a 5.51 earned run average (ERA). In 2009, Balester began the season in Triple-A with the Syracuse Chiefs. He split the year between Syracuse and Washington, making a combined 27 starts. Balester was conver