Denis Phipps

Denis Phipps
Phipps batting for the Dayton Dragons, single-A affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds, in 2008
Charleston Dirty Birds
Outfielder
Born: (1985-07-22) July 22, 1985 (age 38)
San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 3, 2012, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
(through 2012 season)
Batting average.300
Home runs1
Runs batted in2
Teams

Denis Phipps (born July 22, 1985) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played in Major League Baseball (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.[1] Phipps hit the first homer of his Major League career, a two-run shot against the Los Angeles Dodgers' Ronald Belisario on September 23, 2012.

He played in the Dominican Professional Baseball League six seasons with Estrellas Orientales before joining Leones del Escogido for the 2013/14 season, after posting in 17 games an average of .220.[2] He won the 2012 Caribbean Series with Leones del Escogido, playing as a reinforcement and on loan from Estrellas Orientales.[3]

Chicago White Sox

Phipps started the 2014 season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. He was released by the White Sox on May 9, 2014.[4]

Broncos de Reynosa

He then joined the Broncos de Reynosa of the Mexican League[5] to play the second half of the 2014 Mexican season.[6]

Laredo Lemurs

He then joined the Laredo Lemurs from the American Association[7] accumulating a .335 with 15 home runs and 15 doubles[8] but being unable to reach the championship series, losing to Wichita in the semifinal round.[9]

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.[10] He was selected to the league's post season all-star team.[11]

For the 2015/16 season of the Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League he joined Gigantes de Rivas in October[12] but he then signed with Caribes de Anzoátegui from the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in November 2015 after posting a .205 batting average in 11 games.[13] He debuted on 21 November 2015 and contributed with his team until losing in the playoffs.[14] He finished the season batting .316 with 6 home runs and 4 doubles.[2]

Acereros de Monclova

He then joined the Acereros de Monclova for the 2016 season. Before being released on May 24, 2016,[10] he played 44 games with 8 homers.[15]

Second Stint with Laredo Lemurs

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.[16] Phipps played 92 games and with 24 home runs was league leader,[17] also having 21 stolen bases, 62 RBI's and batted .280.[8] He was the second player in the league who achieve having 20-plus home runs and 20-plus stolen bases.[18]

He returned to the Venezuelan league with Caribes de Anzoátegui for the 2016/17 season,[15] winning the Producer of the Year award and was third in the Most Valuable Player voting,[19] when he batted .327 with 11 home runs, 40 runs batted ins and 46 scored.[20]

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 championship. He was chosen to play the 2017 Caribbean Series with Zulia.[21]

On April 20, 2017, Phipps signed with the Laredo Lemurs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball for his fourth season,[22] but he became a free agent on May 8, 2017, when the Laredo Lemurs folded, with Phipps[23]

Texas AirHogs

On May 17, 2017, Phipps signed with the Texas AirHogs 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.[24][25] He later started the 2017/18 Venezuelan Season with Anzoátegui, but was released in early November 2017 after only batting .123[26] and returned to the Nicaraguan league with Gigantes de Rivas.[25]

Sugar Land Skeeters

On January 16, 2018, Phipps was traded by the Texas AirHogs of the American Association to the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[27] 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.[28]

On April 15, 2019, Phipps re-signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters 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 of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League for the 2019–20 season.

On January 17, 2020, Phipps re-signed with the Skeeters. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 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 of the Frontier League. 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 of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[29] 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 of the Frontier League for the 2022 season.[30] After a 33 HR, 91 RBI season, Phipps was awarded the Frontier League's Designated Hitter of the Year honors for 2022.[31]

Charleston Dirty Birds

It was announced on January 30, 2023, that Phipps would return to the ValleyCats for the 2023 season.[32] However, on March 3, 2023, Phipps was traded to the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[33]

References

  1. ^ Baker to use September callups cautiously
  2. ^ a b Briceño, Pedro G. (2017-02-03). "Denis Phipps, un exiliado Liga Dominicana de Béisbol". Listin Diario (in Spanish). Culiacan, Mexico. Retrieved 2017-12-13.
  3. ^ Venn, David (2017-02-04). "Denis Phipps disfruta su renacer en el béisbol invernal en Venezuela" (in Spanish). Culiacan, Mexico: MLB. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  4. ^ "Denis Phipps es dado de baja". Listin Diario (in Spanish). San Pedro de Macorís. 2014-05-11. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  5. ^ "Broncos refuerza ofensiva: llegan Castillo y Phipps" (in Spanish). Reynosa, Tamaulipas: Puro Beisbol. 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  6. ^ "Broncos refuerza ofensiva: ¡Wilkin Castillo y Denis Phipps a la frontera!" (in Spanish). Reynosa, Tamaulipas: El Reportero de Tamaulipas. 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  7. ^ Ballesteros, Fernando (2014-06-22). "Fernando Ballesteros" (in Spanish). Puro Beisbol. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  8. ^ a b "Denis Phipps". American Association Baseball. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  9. ^ "Wichita returning to Championship series". American Association Baseball. 2014-09-07. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  10. ^ a b "Monclova contrata a cañonero dominicano Phipps" (in Spanish). Mexico City: Milenio. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  11. ^ Maslowsky, Tara (2015-09-07). "Heisler, Mazzola and Haerther selected all-stars". Winnipeg Goldeyes. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  12. ^ Hernandez, Gerald (2015-10-27). "Phipps a tapar hueco de Yurendell". La Prensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-12-13.
  13. ^ Hernandez, Gerald (2015-11-20). "Gigantes pierden a Phipps, pero esperan a De Caster". La Prensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-12-13.
  14. ^ "Caribes obtuvo su primera victoria en el playoff a costa de Tiburones". Noticias 24 (in Spanish). Puerto La Cruz. 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  15. ^ a b "Caribes repetirá a Denis Phipps y al derecho Patrick Johnson" (in Spanish). LVBP. 2016-09-07. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  16. ^ "Four Saltdogs named to 2016 A.A. All Star Team". Laredo Morning Times. Lincoln. 2016-07-25. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  17. ^ "Leaders American Association - Season: AA Reg season 2016". American Association Baseball. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  18. ^ Schuster, Steve (2017-02-01). "Return of the King – Abercrombie On Board for 2017". Lincoln: Winnipeg Goldeyes. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  19. ^ Bueno, Hector (2017-02-02). "Denis Phipps: "Es un honor reforzar a Águilas"". Líder en deportes (in Spanish). Caracas. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  20. ^ Ribeiro, Verónica (2017-01-31). "DENIS PHIPPS: "LA TERCERA ES LA VENCIDA"". LVBP (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  21. ^ "Denis Phipps entre refuerzos Venezuela". Listin Diario (in Spanish). Maracaibo, Venezuela. 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  22. ^ Davis, Zach (2017-03-29). "Lemurs re-sign stars in offseason". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  23. ^ Davis, Zach (2017-06-11). "Bad luck surrounding former Lemurs in 2017". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  24. ^ "2017 Season Recap". Texas Air Hogs. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  25. ^ a b "Ex grandes ligas Denis Phipps regresa con Rivas en la Profesional". Nueva Radio YA (in Spanish). 2017-11-29. Retrieved 2017-12-13.
  26. ^ Amaya, Wilson (2015-11-20). "Caribes despidió de la tribu a Denis Phipps". RNV (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-12-13.
  27. ^ Pannier, Robert (2018-01-18). "Sugar Land Skeeters Must Have Prospects Growing on Trees". Minor League Sports Report. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  28. ^ Tijerino, Edgard (2018-01-18). "Tigres escalan la montaña". El Nuevo Diario (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  29. ^ Atlantic League Transactions
  30. ^ "Transactions – Frontier League". Archived from the original on 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
  31. ^ "ValleyCats HR King Denis Phipps to Return in 2023".
  32. ^ "ValleyCats HR King Denis Phipps to Return in 2023".
  33. ^ "2023 Transactions".

External links