Desmond Jennings
Desmond Jennings | |
---|---|
Outfielder | |
Born: Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. | October 30, 1986|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 1, 2010, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 2, 2016, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .245 |
Home runs | 55 |
Runs batted in | 191 |
Teams | |
Desmond Delane Jennings (born October 30, 1986) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Early life
Jennings was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the second of three sons born to Edmond and Paulette Jennings.[1][2] He is a cousin of NFL lineman Andre Smith. At Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama, Jennings lettered in baseball, football and basketball. He received an offer from the Georgia Bulldogs to play both baseball and football collegiately.[2]
Jennings was selected by the
Professional career
Tampa Bay Rays
Jennings was the Rays' fifth-best prospect heading into the 2009 season according to Baseball America,[3] and the 18th-best prospect overall in their midseason top 25.[4]
Jennings was named to the 2010 All-Star Futures Game. From 2008 to 2011, Jennings was a top-100 prospect in baseball in each preseason ranking of both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus. He peaked at sixth overall in Baseball America's pre-2010 ranking.[5]
In 2010, he batted .278 for the season in Triple-A Durham, and .190 in 21 at-bats with Tampa Bay.[6]
Jennings was called up from Triple-A Durham on July 23, 2011, as the Rays optioned Reid Brignac to Durham. At the time of his call-up, Jennings was batting .275 and leading the International League in runs scored, with 68.[7] On July 28, 2011, Jennings blasted his first career home run, a two-run shot against the Oakland Athletics. On September 7, 2011, Jennings hit his first career walk-off home run off Mark Lowe to give the Rays a 5-4 win over the Texas Rangers and give them their 1,000th win in franchise history.
With the departure of
On May 7, 2013, Jennings hit a line drive which hit Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J. A. Happ in the head. Happ needed to be carried off the field on a stretcher after an 11-minute delay. Jennings was visibly shaken by the accident but remained in the game.[9][10]
On May 3, 2015, Jennings was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to left knee bursitis.[11]
On August 26, 2016, The Rays announced that Jennings would be released the next day.[12] Over his seven-year career with the Tampa Bay Rays, he batted .245 with 55 home runs, 191 RBI, and 95 stolen bases. His 567 games with the Rays are the most for any player who exclusively played for the team.[13]
Cincinnati Reds
On February 9, 2017, Jennings signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.[14] He was released by Cincinnati on March 31, 2017.
New York Mets
On April 5, 2017, Jennings signed a minor league contract with the
Acereros de Monclova
On April 11, 2018, Jennings signed with the
References
- The Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
- ^ a b c Topkin, Marc (July 30, 2011). "Rays Tales: Meet Desmond Jennings". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 19 January 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
- ^ Ballew, Bill (November 12, 2008). "Tampa Bay Rays top 10 prospects". Baseballamerica.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
- ^ "Midseason Top 25 Prospects". Baseballamerica.com. July 9, 2009. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
- Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
- ^ "Desmond Jennings Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
- ^ [1][permanent dead link]
- ^ Axisa, Mike (August 6, 2013). "Rays lose leadoff hitter Desmond Jennings to 15-day DL". CBS Sports.
- ^ "Happ hit by line drive, taken to hospital; Jays top Rays". TSN.ca. May 8, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
- ^ "Jennings, Rays shaken by Happ getting hit in the head". ctpost.com. May 8, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Kolligan, Michael. "Jennings placed on 15-day DL with knee bursitis". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ "Rays To Release Desmond Jennings". MLBTradeRumors.com. MLBTradeRumors. Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ "Desmond Jennings Stats - Tampa Bay Rays". espn.com. ESPN Inc. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
- ^ Sheldon, Mark (February 9, 2017). "Reds sign OF Jennings to Minors deal". MLB.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ "Desmond Jennings fortalece a Acereros" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 11, 2018.[permanent dead link]
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Desmond Jennings on Twitter