Derek Dietrich

Derek Richard Dietrich (born July 18, 1989) is an American professional baseball second baseman for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. He previously played in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins. Prior to playing professionally, Dietrich starred at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio and played for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. While primarily a second baseman, he has also played left field and third base for the Marlins.

Derek Dietrich
Dietrich with the Miami Marlins in 2017
Cincinnati Reds – No. 22
Second baseman / Outfielder
Born: (1989-07-18) July 18, 1989
Cleveland, Ohio
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 8, 2013, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through 2019 season)
Batting average.246
Home runs79
Runs batted in247
Teams

Early life and education

Dietrich attended St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio. One of the top high school players in the country, he took part in the East Coast Professional Baseball Showcase and the AFLAC All-American game while he was a senior.[1]

The Houston Astros selected Dietrich with their first selection, with the 111th overall selection in the third round, of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft.[2] Dietrich opted not to sign, instead choosing to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he played college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball team.[3] He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's co-player of the week from March 23–28, 2010.[4] He also played collegiate summer baseball for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2009.[5]

Career

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Dietrich in the second round, with the 79th overall selection, in the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He signed with the Rays and made his professional debut with the Hudson Valley Renegades of the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League that summer.[5] In 2011, while playing for the Bowling Green Hot Rods in the Class A Midwest League, he set a team record for home runs in a season[3] and was named a Midwest League all-star.[7]

Dietrich played for the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League and Montgomery Biscuits of the Class AA Southern League in 2012. After the 2012 season, the Rays traded Dietrich to the Miami Marlins for Yunel Escobar.[7] The Marlins assigned Dietrich to the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League at the start of the 2013 season.

Miami Marlins
Dietrich with the Miami Marlins

Following injuries to Donovan Solano and Chris Valaika, the Marlins promoted Dietrich to the major leagues on May 8, 2013, and he made his MLB debut that day.[8][9] He was optioned back to Jacksonville on July 22.

In 2014, Dietrich served as the Marlins' starting second baseman. They optioned Dietrich to the New Orleans Zephyrs of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in June due to his poor defense.[10] After the season, Dietrich played winter baseball in the Dominican Professional Baseball League, but his season ended prematurely due to an ankle injury.[11]

Dietrich began the 2015 season with New Orleans. The Marlins promoted him to the major leagues on June 12.[12] In 2016, Dietrich batted .279, and was 2nd in the major leagues in hit by pitch, with 24.[13] He had his best offensive season in 2017, posting career highs in games played (135), at bats (406), runs (56), home runs (13), RBI (53) and walks (36).

In 2018, Dietrich batted .265/.330/.421. He tied for the major league lead in hit by pitch, with 21.[14] Dietrich was designated for assignment on November 20.[15] After clearing waivers, Dietrich elected free agency on November 26.[16]

Cincinnati Reds

On February 19, 2019, Dietrich signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds, receiving a non-roster invitation to spring training.[17] In his Reds debut on March 28, Dietrich hit a three-run home run as part of a 5–3 win on Opening Day over the Pirates.[18]

In late June 2019, Dietrich set a new MLB record for being hit by pitch in a single series, when he was hit six times in the first three games of a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers.[19] After the 2019 season, the Reds sent Dietrich outright off of the 25-man roster to the Louisville Bats.

In a game on April 7, 2019, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dietrich hit a second-inning, two-run home run that landed in the Allegheny River off of Pirates starter Chris Archer. As the ball flew over the wall, Dietrich stayed at home plate and admired the ball for a few seconds as it went over before he started running. When Dietrich returned to bat in the fourth inning, Archer threw a ball behind Dietrich's back. Home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg issued Archer a warning, much to the irritation of Reds manager David Bell. As Bell argued with the umpire, benches cleared and Yasiel Puig attempted to throw punches at the Pirates players. In the end of the incident, five people were ejected: Bell, Puig, Reds southpaw Amir Garrett, Pirates setup man Keone Kela, and Pirates closer Felipe Vázquez.[20] When play resumed, Dietrich was struck out by Chris Archer, but got another two-run home run, also hit into the river, later in the game off of Pirates pitcher Nick Kingham.[21]

On November 4, 2019, Dietrich cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Louisville Bats.[22] On February 12, 2020, Dietrich re-signed with the Reds on a minor league deal.

Personal life

Dietrich's grandfather, Steve Demeter, played in Major League Baseball.[2] Dietrich credits his grandfather with teaching him about the game of baseball.[3]

Dietrich is a juggler and performs at community events and hospitals for children.[3]

References
  1. Carree, Chuck (August 10, 2006). "Dietrich's mom has seen a lot of baseball". StarNewsOnline.com. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  2. Footer, Alyson (June 7, 2007). "Astros corral high school infielder". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  3. Rallo, Curt (August 11, 2011). "MWL notes: Dietrich on right track". Milb.com. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  4. "Georgia Tech's Dietrich Named ACC Co-Player of the Week". WCTV.tv. March 29, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  5. McMann, Sean T. (June 17, 2010). "Dietrich excited to start minor-league career". The Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2012. (subscription required)
  6. "Derek Dietrich, former St. Ignatius High School star, drafted by Tampa Bay in second round of Major League Baseball draft". cleveland.com. Associated Press. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  7. "Marlins acquire infielder Derek Dietrich from Tampa Bay for infielder Yunel Escobar" (Press release). MLB. December 5, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  8. "Marlins call up Derek Dietrich to start at second base". NBC Sports. April 29, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  9. "Dietrich, drafted by Rays, happy to be with Marlins". MLB. May 24, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  10. Gleeman, Aaron (2014-06-04). "Marlins demote Derek Dietrich because of his defense". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  11. South Florida Sun-Sentinel (December 17, 2014). "Ankle injury ends Miami Marlins' infielder Derek Dietrich's winter ball season". Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  12. "Miami Marlins call up Derek Dietrich to add infield depth". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  13. MLB Player Batting Stats 2016 ESPN
  14. MLB Player Batting Stats 2018 ESPN
  15. Todd, Jeff (November 20, 2018). "Marlins Acquire Nick Anderson, Designate Derek Dietrich". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  16. Todd, Jeff (November 26, 2018). "Derek Dietrich Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  17. Sheldon, Mark (February 18, 2019). "Reds add Dietrich on Minor League deal". MLB.com. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  18. Sheldon, Mark (March 28, 2019). "New Reds lead way in Opening Day victory". MLB.com. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  19. "Reds' Dietrich hit with record 6th pitch in 1 series". ESPN. June 23, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  20. "Wild Puig in middle of bench-clearing fray, Pirates top Reds". ESPN. AP. April 7, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  21. "Benches clear in Pittsburgh". MLB. April 7, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019 – via YouTube.
  22. Bob Nightengale (November 4, 2019). "Derek Dietrich among 4 Cincinnati Reds players removed from 40-man roster". www.cincinnati.com. USA Today. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
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