Denis Phipps (born July 22, 1985) is a Dominican
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...
who is a free agent. He has previously played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Cincinnati Reds in 2012.
Career
Cincinnati Reds
He was called up to the majors for the first time on September 1, 2012. Phipps hit the first homer of his Major League career, a two-run shot against the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
'
Ronald Belisario on September 23, 2012.
He played in the
Dominican Professional Baseball League
Dominican may refer to:
* Someone or something from or related to the Dominican Republic ( , stress on the "mi"), on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean
** People of the Dominican Republic
** Demographics of the Domi ...
six seasons with
Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales (English: Eastern Stars), also known as Estrellas de Oriente, is a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League. Based in San Pedro de Macorís, the team has historically struggled, winning championships only in 1936, 1954, 19 ...
before joining
Leones del Escogido
Leones del Escogido (English: ''Chosen One Lions'' or ''Lions of Chosen One'' or ''Picked Lions'') is a professional baseball team in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Established in , Leones are the third most successful team in the Dominican Wi ...
for the 2013/14 season, after posting in 17 games an average of .220.
He won the
2012 Caribbean Series with Leones del Escogido, playing as a reinforcement and on loan from Estrellas Orientales.
Chicago White Sox
Phipps started the 2014 season with the Triple-A
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field, which opened in 20 ...
, an affiliate of the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
. He was released by the White Sox on May 9, 2014.
Broncos de Reynosa
He then joined the
Broncos de Reynosa
The Reynosa Broncos (''los Broncos de Reynosa'') were a Mexican team that played in the Adolfo Lopez Mateos stadium in the city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas.
The Broncos de Reynosa played in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol and it was part of the Zona Nor ...
of the
Mexican League
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
to play the second half of the 2014 Mexican season.
Laredo Lemurs
He then joined the
Laredo Lemurs
The Laredo Lemurs were a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, that played in the independent American Association from 2012 to 2016. The team played their home games at the Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos o ...
from the
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
accumulating a .335 with 15 home runs and 15 doubles
but being unable to reach the championship series, losing to Wichita in the semifinal round.
He played the 2015 season with Laredo Lemurs from the American Association ending with a .336 batting average after 17 home runs, 24 doubles, with 76 RBIs and a league tied leading 127 hits.
He was selected to the league's post season all-star team.
For the 2015/16 season of the
Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League
Liga de Beisbol Profesional Nacional (LBPN) is the professional baseball league of Nicaragua. The league consists of five teams with a 30 game regular season schedule that runs from November to December. Followed by a four team round robin, with ...
he joined
Gigantes de Rivas in October but he then signed with
Caribes de Anzoátegui
The Caribes de Anzoátegui ( en, Anzoátegui Caribs) is a baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League based in Puerto la Cruz, Anzoátegui.
Franchise history
In January 1987, a local businessmen group based in Puerto la Cruz, ...
from the
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) is the professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year.
History Early years
Baseball exp ...
in November 2015 after posting a .205 batting average in 11 games. He debuted on 21 November 2015 and contributed with his team until losing in the playoffs. He finished the season batting .316 with 6 home runs and 4 doubles.
Acereros de Monclova
He then joined the
Acereros de Monclova
The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico. Their home ballpark is Estadio de Béisbol Monclova, which has a capacity of 11,000 people. The Ace ...
for the 2016 season. Before being released on May 24, 2016,
he played 44 games with 8 homers.
Laredo Lemurs (second stint)
He played his third season with the American Association team Laredo Lemurs, being chosen to play the 2016 American Association All-Star Game as Designate Hitter. Phipps played 92 games and with 24 home runs was league leader, also having 21 stolen bases, 62 RBI's and batted .280.
He was the second player in the league who achieve having 20-plus home runs and 20-plus stolen bases.
He returned to the Venezuelan league with Caribes de Anzoátegui for the 2016/17 season,
winning the Producer of the Year award and was third in the Most Valuable Player voting, when he batted .327 with 11 home runs, 40 runs batted ins and 46 scored.
He then was unsuccessful with Caribes in the playoffs besides his 3 home runs and 12 RBI's that made him being chosen best player and later played the league's finals with Cardenales de Lara, but lost to
Águilas del Zulia
The Águilas del Zulia ( en, Zulia Eagles) is a Venezuelan professional baseball team based in Maracaibo which plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.
History
The team was founded in 1969 and debuted in the 1969–70 season. The fra ...
the championship. He was chosen to play the
2017 Caribbean Series with Zulia.
On April 20, 2017, Phipps signed with the Laredo Lemurs of the
American Association of Independent Professional Baseball
The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor lea ...
for his fourth season, but he became a free agent on May 8, 2017, when the
Laredo Lemurs
The Laredo Lemurs were a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, that played in the independent American Association from 2012 to 2016. The team played their home games at the Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos o ...
folded, with Phipps
Texas AirHogs
On May 17, 2017, Phipps signed with the
Texas AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
of the American Association, finishing the season after 86 games with 18 doubles and lead the team in batting average with .314, 10 home runs and 58 runs batted in.
He later started the 2017/18 Venezuelan Season with Anzoátegui, but was released in early November 2017 after only batting .123 and returned to the Nicaraguan league with Gigantes de Rivas.
Sugar Land Skeeters
On January 16, 2018, Phipps was traded by the Texas AirHogs of the American Association to the
Sugar Land Skeeters
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the Greater Houston metr ...
of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He officially signed with the team on May 14, 2018. He became a free agent following the 2018 season.
Phipps helped the Gigantes de Rivas to reach the Nicaraguan league final series, but they lost to the Tigres de Chinandega 2–3.
On April 15, 2019, Phipps re-signed with the
Sugar Land Skeeters
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the Greater Houston metr ...
of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He became a free agent following the season.
Phipps later returned to play for the
Caribes de Anzoátegui
The Caribes de Anzoátegui ( en, Anzoátegui Caribs) is a baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League based in Puerto la Cruz, Anzoátegui.
Franchise history
In January 1987, a local businessmen group based in Puerto la Cruz, ...
of the
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) is the professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year.
History Early years
Baseball exp ...
for the 2019–20 season.
On January 17, 2020, Phipps re-signed with the Skeeters. However, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, the ALPB season was canceled. He became a free agent in the offseason.
Tri-City ValleyCats
On February 24, 2021, Phipps signed with the
Tri-City ValleyCats
The Tri-City ValleyCats (often shortened to Cats) are a professional independent baseball team based in Troy, New York. The Tri-City name refers to the three nearby cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy which make up New York State's Capital D ...
of the
Frontier League
The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...
. In 93 games, Phipps slashed .277/.354/.524 with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs. He became a free agent following the season.
Lexington Legends
On September 18, 2021, Phipps signed with the
Lexington Legends
The Lexington Legends are an American professional baseball team based in Lexington, Kentucky. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league" of Major League Baseball. The Legends ha ...
of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He became a free agent after the 2021 season.
Tri-City ValleyCats (second stint)
On November 21, 2021, Phipps re-signed with the
Tri-City ValleyCats
The Tri-City ValleyCats (often shortened to Cats) are a professional independent baseball team based in Troy, New York. The Tri-City name refers to the three nearby cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy which make up New York State's Capital D ...
of the
Frontier League
The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...
for the 2022 season. After a 33 HR, 91 RBI season, Phipps was awarded the Frontier League's Designated Hitter of the Year honors for 2022.
It was announced on January 30, 2023, that Phipps would return to the ValleyCats for the 2023 season.
[ However, on March 3, 2023, Phipps was traded to the ]Charleston Dirty Birds
The Charleston Dirty Birds are an American professional baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a partner league of Major League Baseball. The ...
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He apparently did not play professionally during the 2023 season. He became a free agent following the 2023 season.
See also
*
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phipps, Denis
1985 births
Acereros de Monclova players
Arizona League Reds players
Billings Mustangs players
Broncos de Reynosa players
Caribes de Anzoátegui players
Carolina Mudcats players
Charlotte Knights players
Cincinnati Reds players
Dayton Dragons players
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Estrellas Orientales players
Gulf Coast Reds players
Laredo Lemurs players
Lexington Legends players
Living people
Louisville Bats players
Lynchburg Hillcats players
Major League Baseball center fielders
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
Major League Baseball right fielders
Mexican League baseball left fielders
Mexican League baseball right fielders
Baseball players from San Pedro de Macorís
Sarasota Reds players
Sugar Land Skeeters players
Texas AirHogs players
Tri-City ValleyCats players
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Nicaragua