Kevin Witt
Kevin Witt | |
---|---|
Designated hitter / First baseman | |
Born: High Point, North Carolina | January 5, 1976|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 15, 1998, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 30, 2006, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .233 |
Home runs | 15 |
Runs batted in | 41 |
Teams | |
Kevin Joseph Witt (born January 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player who played 15 seasons and is currently the Baseball Director for SpringSpirit non-profit organization in Houston, Texas. Originally drafted in the 1st round with the 28th overall pick in the 1994 MLB Amateur Draft. Witt spent parts of five seasons in the major leagues, appearing with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, most often as a designated hitter. He also played parts of two seasons in Japan, spending time with the Yokohama BayStars and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Witt ranks 7th on the all time MiLB home run list totaling 269 homers from 1994-2006: In 2006 for Durham, Witt's last year in affiliated ball, he was the IL MVP and led the Minor Leagues with 36 homers (a high he had reached with Triple-A Memphis in 2004). That performance earned him his fifth stint in the big leagues. The next year, he finished his career in Japan, where he also played in 2005. When it was all said and done, his Minor League homer tally was complemented by a nice .274/.336/.502 line and 885 RBIs.
Early life[]
Witt was born in High Point, North Carolina, to Daniel Melvin Witt and his wife, Jean Marie Mechlinski Witt. He has two older brothers, Daniel Melvin Witt, Jr. and David Michael Witt. He attended Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Florida.
Career[]
Witt was drafted in the first round, 28th overall, by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1994 Major League Baseball Draft. Originally a shortstop, Witt was converted to first base while in the minors. He made his major league debut with the Blue Jays as a September call-up in 1998, collecting one hit in seven at-bats. In 1999, he collected seven hits in 34 at-bats, good for only a .206 batting average. He also hit his first Major League home run. He spent 2000 in the minors with the Syracuse SkyChiefs(AAA). He was granted free agency on October 15, 2000.
On December 22, 2000, he signed with the San Diego Padres. In limited playing time in 2001, Witt hit .185, with two home runs and five runs batted in. On October 6, 2001, Witt pinch-ran for Tony Gwynn, who had recorded his final Major League hit with a double.[1] He was granted free agency on October 15, 2001.
On November 15, 2001, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds. He spent the entire season in the minors with the Louisville Bats(AAA), then was granted free agency on October 15, 2002.
On February 3, 2003, he signed with the Tigers. His only significant playing time came with the Tigers in 2003, when he batted .263 in 93 games while splitting his time between designated hitter, first base, and left field. He also hit 10 home runs and drove in 26 runs, while also stealing his first and only career base. He was granted free agency on October 15, 2003.
On November 19, 2003, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He spent the entire season in the minors with the Memphis Redbirds. He was granted free agency on October 15, 2004.
After spending the 2004 season back in the minor leagues, Witt signed with the BayStars in 2005. He returned to North America the next season, and earned International League Most Valuable Player honors after leading all of minor league baseball with 36 home runs, while setting a Triple-A Durham Bulls franchise record and a Rays' organization record.[2] That earned him one last major league stint, where he batted .148 in 19 games for the Devil Rays. He returned to Japan in 2007 for Rakuten, but hit just .174 in 40 games in what turned out to be his final professional season.
As Coach[]
Witt has spent most of his coaching career in the Miami Marlins organization. He was named as the hitting coach for the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Marlins' AAA) for the 2017 season, the hitting coach for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins' AA) for the 2018 season, and the hitting coach for the Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins' High A) for the 2019 season.
Personal life[]
Witt and his wife Lori (nee Long) live in Texas and have four sons: Tanner, Preston, Cullen and Ripken, and a daughter, Skyler.[3] Tanner was an MLB Draft prospect in 2020, but after not being selected in the slimmed-down five round draft, decided he will go on and play for the Texas Longhorns baseball squad.[4] Preston began his playing career at Southwestern University.[5]
Sources[]
- ^ "Padres vs. Rockies, Game 161". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ Devil Rays release Kevin Witt. Our Sports Central. Retrieved on February 2, 2017.
- ^ "Tanner Witt Player Profile". Texas Longhorns Baseball. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ "Texas 3B/RF signee Tanner Witt announces he'll play for the Horns". Burnt Orange Nation. Bleacher Report. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ "Preston Witt Player Profile". Southwestern University Baseball. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
External links[]
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Pelota Binaria (Venezuelan Winter League)
- 1976 births
- Living people
- American expatriate baseball players in Canada
- American expatriate baseball players in Japan
- Baseball coaches from North Carolina
- Baseball players from North Carolina
- Baseball coaches from Florida
- Baseball players from Jacksonville, Florida
- Bishop Kenny High School alumni
- Cardenales de Lara players
- American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
- Detroit Tigers players
- Dunedin Blue Jays players
- Durham Bulls players
- Hagerstown Suns players
- International League MVP award winners
- Knoxville Smokies players
- Louisville Bats players
- Major League Baseball designated hitters
- Major League Baseball first basemen
- Medicine Hat Blue Jays players
- Memphis Redbirds players
- People from High Point, North Carolina
- Portland Beavers players
- San Diego Padres players
- Sportspeople from Jacksonville, Florida
- Syracuse SkyChiefs players
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays players
- Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles players
- Toledo Mud Hens players
- Toronto Blue Jays players
- Yokohama BayStars players