Andre Lipcius Makes MLB Debut
On Saturday, former Tennessee baseball player Andre Lipcius made his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers. He played in Knoxville for three years, from 2017-2019. In the 2019 MLB draft, he was selected 83rd overall by the Detroit Tigers. He spent four years in the minors within Detroit's farm system with teams like the West Michigan Whitecaps at the High-A level and Toledo Mud Hens in Triple-A. During that time, he had batting averages all above .275.
The Tigers called Lipcius up for a Saturday matchup with the Chicago White Sox. It was a game in which the Tigers won 10-0. Lipcius went just 1 for five during the matchup, but the one at-bat was one for the books. In the first inning, with Detroit already up 2-0, Lipcius came to the plate with the Tigers' right fielder Kerry Carpenter on at first. On a one-ball and two-strike count, he lifted a ball deep into left-center field at Guaranteed Rate Field that sailed over the fence. A 399-foot, 2-run homer gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead. It was a lead they would never give up on the way to victory.
Lipcius has a chance to show what he can do at baseball's highest level. He has been a great hitter after given some time at whatever professional level he is at. The Tigers sit with a 63-74 record and are well out of reach for a wild-card spot in the postseason. They are in the middle of finding pieces for the future as a team. Lipcius' electrifying debut exemplifies the guys they want on that team. He is one of many former Vols finding their way within the high levels of professional baseball. His first major league homer kicked off his career and put it into high gear.
Detroit Tigers 2B Andre Lipcius after hitting a two-run homer against the Chicago White Sox on September 2nd, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski of USA Today Sports)
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