Darnell Sweeney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Darnell Sweeney |
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Sweeney with the Oklahoma City Dodgers at the 2015 Triple-A All-Star Game
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| Utility player | |||
| Born: February 1, 1991 Carver Ranches, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 20, 2015, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 1, 2018, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .172 | ||
| Home runs | 3 | ||
| Runs batted in | 11 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Darnell Thomas Sweeney (born February 1, 1991) is an American former professional baseball utility player. This means he could play many different positions on the field. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays.
Contents
- Darnell Sweeney's Early Life and School Baseball
- Darnell Sweeney's Professional Baseball Journey
- Darnell Sweeney's Coaching Career
- Images for kids
Darnell Sweeney's Early Life and School Baseball
Darnell's father, who was from the British Virgin Islands, started teaching him baseball when he was just four years old. His dad also taught him how to switch hit, which means he could bat from both the left and right sides of the plate.
Sweeney went to Fort Lauderdale High School for one year. He then moved and finished high school at American Senior High School. In 2009, the Florida Marlins picked him in the baseball draft, but he decided not to sign with them.
College Baseball at UCF
Instead of going pro right away, Darnell went to the University of Central Florida (UCF). He played college baseball for the UCF Knights. Even though he got a scholarship offer from Miami, he chose to stick with his promise to UCF.
As a freshman, he was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. He had a great batting average of .358, with 83 hits and 17 stolen bases. In his junior year, he was part of the Coral Gables All-Regional Team. He was also a top player in the Conference USA before the season started. In 2011, he played summer baseball for the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Darnell Sweeney's Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers chose Darnell Sweeney in the 13th round of the 2012 MLB draft. In 2012, he played for the Ogden Raptors and hit .303, stealing 10 bases. He then moved to the Great Lakes Loons, where he hit .291 with 5 home runs and 17 stolen bases.
In 2013, he played for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He hit .275, had 11 home runs, and stole 48 bases. The next year, Sweeney was promoted to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts. He was chosen for the mid-season All-Star Game. He hit .288 with 14 home runs. After that season, he played in a special league called the Arizona Fall League. The Dodgers even invited him to their main spring training camp in 2015. He played for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers and was again an All-Star.
Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies
On August 19, 2015, Darnell Sweeney was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He was traded along with another player for Chase Utley. The Phillies immediately put Sweeney on their main team. He made his first MLB game appearance on August 20 as a pinch hitter. Just two days later, on August 22, he hit his very first major league home run against the Marlins.
Returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers
On November 11, 2016, Sweeney was traded back to the Dodgers. He was sent to the Oklahoma City team to start the 2017 season. In 38 games, he hit .227 with four home runs.
Time with the Cincinnati Reds
On May 27, 2017, Sweeney was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. He played in 81 games for the Triple–A Louisville Bats. He hit .281 with seven home runs. He was released by the Reds in March 2018.
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays
On April 3, 2018, Sweeney signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was sent to their Triple-A team, the Buffalo Bisons. He was called up to the Blue Jays' main team on June 29. He was later sent back to Triple-A and then recalled again in July. He became a free agent in October.
Independent Baseball Leagues
After his time in Major League Baseball, Darnell Sweeney played for several teams in independent baseball leagues. These leagues are not directly connected to MLB teams.
Kansas City T-Bones
On February 12, 2019, Sweeney signed with the Kansas City T-Bones. He played 23 games, hitting .288 with four home runs and six stolen bases.
Pittsburgh Pirates Organization
On June 12, 2019, the Pittsburgh Pirates bought Sweeney's contract. He played for their Double-A and Triple-A teams. He hit a combined .214 with four home runs. He became a free agent again in November.
Winnipeg Goldeyes
In 2020, Sweeney was drafted by the Winnipeg Goldeyes. He played 60 games, hitting .277 with 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases.
Kansas City Monarchs
In 2021, Sweeney played for the Kansas City Monarchs (formerly the T-Bones). He played 97 games, hitting .262 with 19 home runs and 22 stolen bases. In 2022, he was named an All-Star for the Monarchs. He hit .321 with 13 home runs and 31 stolen bases. He was released in October 2022.
Sioux Falls Canaries
On May 2, 2023, Sweeney signed with the Sioux Falls Canaries. He played 98 games, batting .283 with 19 home runs and 20 stolen bases. He was also named an All-Star for the Canaries that season.
Pericos de Puebla
On January 2, 2024, Sweeney signed with the Pericos de Puebla in Mexico. He played five games before being released on April 22.
On May 18, 2024, Darnell Sweeney announced that he was retiring from playing professional baseball.
Darnell Sweeney's Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Sweeney started a new career as a coach. He became the hitting coach for the State College Spikes. On July 20, 2024, he accepted a job as a hitting instructor for the Philadelphia Phillies' rookie–level team, the Florida Complex League Phillies.
Images for kids
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Sweeney with the Oklahoma City Dodgers at the 2015 Triple-A All-Star Game
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Darnell Sweeney in spring training with the Dodgers
