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Brandon Phillips

Phillips with the Cincinnati Reds in 2011

Second baseman

Born: June 28, 1981 (age 44)
Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

debut

September 13, 2002, for the Cleveland Indians

Last appearance

September 30, 2018, for the Boston Red Sox

MLB statistics

Batting average

.275

Hits

2,029

Home runs

211

Runs batted in

951

Teams

Cleveland Indians (2002–2005)
Cincinnati Reds (2006–2016)
Atlanta Braves (2017)
Los Angeles Angels (2017)
Boston Red Sox (2018)

Career highlights and awards

3× All-Star (2010, 2011, 2013)
4× Gold Glove Award (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013)
Silver Slugger Award (2011)

Brandon Emil Phillips (born June 28, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a talented second baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Phillips played for several teams, including the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, and Boston Red Sox. He was known for his strong hitting and amazing defense.

Phillips was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was first chosen by the Montreal Expos in the 1999 baseball draft. In 2002, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians and made his MLB debut that same year. He later joined the Cincinnati Reds in 2006. With the Reds, Phillips became one of the best second basemen in baseball. He won four Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for his excellent fielding. He also won a Silver Slugger Award for his hitting. Phillips was picked for three National League All-Star teams. He even made history as the first MLB player to hit two three-run home runs, get seven RBIs, and steal two bases in one game. The uniform and cleats he wore during that game are now in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Family and Sports

Brandon Phillips' father, James Phillips, runs a baseball training center in Pine Lake, Georgia. Brandon has a sister, Porsha Phillips, who played in the WNBA. His younger brother, PJ Phillips, is a manager for a baseball team. His oldest brother, Jamil Phillips, also owns a baseball training center.

High School Years

Phillips went to Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia. There, he played both basketball and baseball. He was a star baseball player, and his jersey number 7 was retired by the school in 2003. Growing up, Phillips looked up to Barry Larkin, a famous shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds.

Drafted into MLB

In 1999, Phillips was chosen by the Montreal Expos in the second round of the MLB draft. He had planned to play both baseball and football at the University of Georgia. However, he decided to sign with the Expos instead on June 21, 1999.

Professional Baseball Career

Time with the Cleveland Indians

After playing in the Expos' minor league teams for a few years, Phillips was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2002. This trade involved several players, including Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee.

In 2003, Phillips became the starting second baseman for the Indians. He had a six-game hitting streak that season. On May 20, he hit his first three-run walk-off home run against the Detroit Tigers. After a tough period, he was sent to the minor leagues but returned later. He finished the season with a .208 batting average.

Phillips spent most of 2004 and 2005 in the minor leagues with the Buffalo Bisons. He played only a few games for the Indians during these years. In his four seasons with the Indians, Phillips played in 135 major league games. He batted .206 with six home runs.

Becoming a Star with the Cincinnati Reds

2006 Season Highlights

On April 7, 2006, Phillips was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. He quickly made a big impact. He was named the National League Player of the Week in April, hitting .452 with three home runs. That month, he also hit his first career grand slam. Phillips led the Reds in hits with 148 and had 25 stolen bases. He finished the season with a .276 batting average, 17 home runs, and 75 RBIs.

2007: The 30–30 Club

In 2007, Phillips achieved a rare feat: he hit 30 home runs and stole 32 bases. This made him the first Reds second baseman to join the 30–30 club. Only two other Reds players had done this before him. He also became only the second second baseman in MLB history to join this club.

On August 30, Phillips made an amazing play against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He fielded a ball bare-handed in shallow right field and threw a runner out at home plate to win the game. On September 5, he broke the Reds' single-season record for home runs by a second baseman. He ended the 2007 season with 187 hits, 107 runs, and a .288 batting average.

In February 2008, Phillips signed a four-year contract extension with the Reds.

2008: First Gold Glove

Phillips signing autographs during spring training in 2008.

Phillips continued to play well in 2008. He finished the season with 21 home runs and 23 stolen bases. He won his first Gold Glove award in 2008. He led all National League second basemen with a .990 fielding percentage, making only seven errors. He also had a streak of 78 games without an error.

2009 and 2010 Seasons

In 2009, Phillips hit .276 with 20 home runs and 98 RBIs. He also stole 25 bases.

Phillips batting for the Reds in 2009 at Great American Ball Park

In 2010, Phillips had his first All-Star season. He batted .275 with 18 home runs. In August 2010, Phillips was involved in a big argument on the field between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. On November 10, 2010, Phillips won his second Gold Glove Award.

2011: More Awards

On May 3, 2011, Phillips made another incredible bare-handed play against the Houston Astros. He picked up a rolling ball and threw it between his legs to get an out at first base.

On July 1, Phillips hit his 1,000th career hit. His great defense and consistent hitting earned him his second straight All-Star game selection. On November 1, 2011, Phillips won his third Gold Glove. The next day, he won his first Silver Slugger Award for his excellent hitting. He finished the season batting .300 with 183 hits.

2012 and 2013 Seasons

Phillips fielding with the Reds in 2011

In April 2012, Phillips signed a six-year contract extension with the Reds. He finished the 2012 season with a .281 batting average, 18 home runs, and 77 RBIs.

In 2013, Phillips was the Reds' cleanup hitter for much of the season. He had a 12-game hitting streak in May. His performance earned him a starting spot in the All-Star Game. He finished the 2013 season with 18 home runs and 103 RBIs. He also won his fourth Gold Glove award, with a .987 fielding percentage.

2014 to 2016 Seasons

In July 2014, Phillips was placed on the disabled list due to a thumb injury. He returned in August and finished the season batting .266. He was nominated for his fifth Gold Glove.

In 2015, Phillips had a strong season, batting .294 with 173 hits and 23 stolen bases. He was again a finalist for the Gold Glove award. In 2016, Phillips played in 141 games, batting .291 with 11 home runs.

Later Career Teams

Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels

On February 12, 2017, Phillips was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He even played some games at third base. On August 30, he got his 2,000th career hit. In 120 games for the Braves, he batted .291.

On August 31, 2017, Phillips was traded to the Los Angeles Angels. He played 24 games for the Angels before the season ended.

Boston Red Sox

On June 27, 2018, Phillips signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox. He played well in the minor leagues. Phillips joined the Red Sox major league team on September 4. He made a memorable debut the next day, hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning to help the Red Sox win 9–8. He was the first Red Sox player to wear uniform number 0. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series that year. Phillips became a free agent after the season.

Independent Leagues and Co-Ownership

In 2019, Phillips played for the Vallejo Admirals in an independent league, managed by his brother P.J. Phillips. He then played for the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League. In 2020, he played briefly for the Baseball Brilliance team.

Phillips with the Lexington Legends in 2021

In August 2020, Phillips joined the Lexington Legends. In 2021, the Legends moved to the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Phillips became a co-owner of the team and also played for them. This made him the first Atlantic League player to play for a team he co-owned. He helped the Legends win the league championship. He played for the Legends again in 2022 before the team was sold.

Personal Life and New Ventures

Brandon Phillips is married to fitness model and professional wrestler Jade Cargill. They have a daughter together.

In March 2023, Phillips and Cargill became owners of the Texas Smoke. This is a professional softball team in Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF), based in Austin, Texas. The Texas Smoke had a great first season in 2023. They won the WPF regular season and then swept the championship series, winning the first Women's Professional Fastpitch title.