Donald Thomas Lutz III (born February 6, 1989) is an American-
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
former
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 baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
/
leftfielder
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
. He signed with the Reds as a non-drafted amateur free agent in 2007. Despite starting his baseball career in his teenage years, and in Germany, Lutz first visited Cincinnati's spring training camp, reached Class AA and was placed on the
Reds
Reds may refer to:
General
* Red (political adjective), supporters of Communism or socialism
* Reds (January Uprising), a faction of the Polish insurrectionists during the January Uprising in 1863
* USSR (or, to a lesser extent, China) during th ...
40-man roster in 2012.
Lutz was the first German-developed player to play in the modern Major Leagues. He played for Team Germany in the
2019 European Baseball Championship
The 2019 European Baseball Championship was an international baseball tournament organized by the Confederation of European Baseball. The 2019 Championship was held September 7–15, 2019, in Bonn and Solingen, Germany.
The tournament contributed ...
, in which they came in 6th.
Playing career
Lutz was still a baby when his family moved to Germany. He had his first experience with the sport at 14, when his older brother took him to a training session of the Friedberg Braves, a team located in
Friedberg (Hessen)
Friedberg (; official name: ''Friedberg (Hessen)'') is a town and the capital of the Wetteraukreis district, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 26 km (16 miles) north of Frankfurt am Main. In 1966, the town hosted the sixth ''Hessentag'' state festiv ...
. Since then, Lutz has rapidly increased his skills, especially his powerful hitting that made him so successful. After two years with the local team, he went to the Bad Homburg Hornets and played there for two seasons before he went to a baseball boarding school in Regensburg for one more season.
Cincinnati Reds
Within another few years, he became a member of the
Germany national baseball team
The Germany national baseball team is the national baseball team for Germany. They are a contender for the European Baseball Championship, and have competed in the Baseball World Cup. Jendrick Speer is the manager, since March 2023.
Results and fi ...
and traveled to Europe-wide training camps, which finally led to his signing with the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
on July 15, 2007.
Lutz played his first two seasons for the former
Gulf Coast League
The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...
affiliate of the Reds. In those seasons he played 50 games and achieved a .250 BA with one home run and 19 RBIs in the first season, while only scoring a .169 BA, 10 RBIs and no home runs the following year. In his third season Lutz remained in the Rookie level but was transferred to the
Billings Mustangs
The Billings Mustangs are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Billings, Montana, and have played their home games at Dehler ...
from the
Pioneer League, where he had a .286 BA as well as 7 home runs and 28 RBIs.
After an impressive 2011 season for the single-A
Dayton Dragons
The Dayton Dragons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Dayton, Ohio, and play their home games at Day Air Ballpark, formerly known as Fifth Third Field. In 2 ...
with a .301 BA and 20 home runs and the team's first
cycle, Lutz was promoted to the Reds 40-man roster in 2012 and participated in 15 Spring training games. Only a few days before
opening day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
he was dropped from the active roster and sent to advanced-A affiliate
Bakersfield Blaze
The Bakersfield Blaze were a minor league baseball team in Bakersfield, California. They played in the Class A – Advanced California League. They played their home games at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Opened in 1941, the stadium is well known for facing ...
. There he played a not less impressive season than the one before. Until mid-July he made 63 appearances and batted a massive 17 home runs and 51 RBIs. After being promoted to double-A
Pensacola Blue Wahoos
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are based in Pensacola, Florida, and play their home games at Admiral Fetterman Field. In 2012, the team rel ...
Lutz continued with nearly the same statistics. Although playing in the Arizona Fall League and a second spring training with the Reds, Lutz started the 2013 season in Pensacola but remained on the 40-man roster.
The Reds promoted Lutz to the Major Leagues on April 29, 2013. On May 5, 2013, against
Shawn Camp of the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, Lutz got his first MLB hit when he lined a ball into center field. Lutz also went on to score that inning, and registered an RBI and stolen base later in the same game. Lutz hit his first career home run on May 12, 2013, a three-run homer off Brewers pitcher
Wily Peralta
Wily Peralta (born May 8, 1989) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers.
Early life
Pera ...
. He was sent back down to Pensacola on June 25, 2013.
On April 21, 2014, he hit for the first cycle in Blue Wahoos franchise history in a 17-1 win against the
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team pla ...
.
On May 1, 2015 it was announced Lutz would undergo
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
and would be out for the season. He was released on June 3, 2015.
Bravos De Leon
On March 30, 2017, Lutz signed with the
Bravos de León
The Bravos de León (English: León Braves) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.
History Cachorros de León (1979–80)
Mexican League baseball in León began in 1979 when the Alijador ...
of the
Mexican Baseball 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 ...
. He was released on April 12, 2017.
Kansas City T-Bones
On May 4, 2017, Lutz signed with the
Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
of 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 ...
. He was released on May 17, 2017.
Brisbane Bandits
Lutz commenced his comeback from injury with the
Brisbane Bandits
The Brisbane Bandits are a professional baseball team in Brisbane, Queensland that plays in the Australian Baseball League and is one of the six founding teams of the league. From the 2010/11 season till the 2012/13 season their home ballpark w ...
in the
ABL for the
2015-16 season, where his 3/7 in the
2016 Australian Baseball League postseason led to him being named Championship Series MVP and helping the Bandits to their first league championship.
The following season, he played in a more limited capacity trying to break back into affiliated baseball from injuries, but still hit .323/.405/.600 across 19 games through the middle of the
2016-17 season.
Lutz rejoined the Bandits full-time for the
2017-18 Australian Baseball League season where he broke the single season homerun record with teammate T. J. Bennett with 16. The Bandits went on to win their third consecutive ABL title.
Following the conclusion of the 2017-18 season, he announced his retirement as a player, and later signed on as the new hitting coach of the
Arizona League Reds
The Arizona Complex League Reds are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The team is composed m ...
for the 2018 season.
On September 6, 2018, Lutz came out of retirement to play again for Brisbane in the
2018-19 Australian Baseball League season.
He had a relatively lean season, slashing .186/.312/.310, but was key in Brisbane's postseason run, going 4/10 with three homeruns to help the Bandits to their fourth successive championship.
Coaching career
, Lutz was the hitting coach for the
Arizona League Reds
The Arizona Complex League Reds are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The team is composed m ...
.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lutz, Donald
1989 births
Living people
2019 European Baseball Championship players
American emigrants to Germany
American expatriate baseball players in Australia
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
American people of German descent
Arizona League Reds players
Bakersfield Blaze players
Baseball coaches from New York (state)
Baseball players from New York (state)
Billings Mustangs players
Bravos de León players
Brisbane Bandits players
Canberra Cavalry players
Cincinnati Reds players
Dayton Dragons players
German baseball players
German expatriate sportspeople in Mexico
German people of American descent
German sports coaches
Gulf Coast Reds players
Louisville Bats players
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball left fielders
Major League Baseball players from Germany
Major League Baseball right fielders
Mexican League baseball first basemen
Minor league baseball coaches
Pensacola Blue Wahoos players
Peoria Javelinas players
Sportspeople from Watertown, New York
Yaquis de Obregón players