Dave Sappelt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dave Sappelt |
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Sappelt with the Louisville Bats in 2009
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 2, 1987 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 7, 2011, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 23, 2013, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .251 | ||
| Home runs | 2 | ||
| Runs batted in | 17 | ||
| Teams | |||
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David J. Sappelt (born January 2, 1987) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Dave played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs. He is about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs around 195 pounds. He bats and throws with his right hand. Dave went to Southern Alamance High School and then played college baseball at Coastal Carolina University.
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Dave's Baseball Journey
Starting with the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds picked Dave Sappelt in the 9th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. This meant they wanted him to play for their team. He started playing in the minor leagues. In 2008, he played for the Billings Mustangs. He hit the ball well, with a batting average of .299.
Dave continued to play in different minor league teams for the Reds. In 2009, he played for the Dayton Dragons and the Sarasota Reds. He kept improving his skills.
In 2010, Dave started with the Lynchburg Hillcats. He then moved up to the Double-A team, the Carolina Mudcats. He had an amazing year with the Mudcats. He hit .361 and had 9 home runs. He was named the Most Valuable Player for the Southern League. This was a big award!
His great playing earned him a promotion to the Triple-A team, the Louisville Bats. He finished the 2010 season with a .342 batting average. The Reds named him their Minor League Hitter of the Year. He even played in special leagues like the Arizona Fall League and the Venezuelan Winter League.
Making it to Major League Baseball
In 2011, Dave was invited to spring training with the main Reds team. This is where players practice before the season starts. He played really well, hitting .564! Even though he played great, he wasn't put on the main team right away. This was because the team's roster (list of players) was full.
So, Dave went back to play for the Louisville Bats. He kept hitting well, with a .313 batting average. Then, on August 7, 2011, something exciting happened. Another player got hurt, and Dave Sappelt was called up to the major leagues for the very first time! He made his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs.
Playing for the Chicago Cubs
On December 23, 2011, Dave was traded to the Chicago Cubs. A trade means he moved to a new team. He played in 26 games for the Cubs in 2012. He had a batting average of .275 and hit two home runs.
In 2013, Dave played in 31 games for the Cubs. He was later sent to the Triple-A team, the Iowa Cubs. This is common for players to move between the major league team and their top minor league team.
Continuing His Career in Other Leagues
After his time in Major League Baseball, Dave Sappelt continued to play professional baseball. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for a short time in 2013.
He then played in the Mexican League for several teams. These included the Acereros de Monclova in 2014, the Rojos del Águila de Veracruz in 2014, and the Piratas de Campeche in 2015. He had a strong season with the Piratas, hitting 10 home runs.
In 2015, Dave signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox. He played for their Double-A team, the Portland Sea Dogs.
He returned to the Mexican League in 2016, playing for the Sultanes de Monterrey. In 2017, he played for the Olmecas de Tabasco and the Rieleros de Aguascalientes. He hit 12 home runs for Aguascalientes.
In 2018, Dave played in independent leagues. He joined the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and the Winnipeg Goldeyes. He also played briefly for the Tigres de Quintana Roo in the Mexican League that year. Dave Sappelt had a long and interesting career playing baseball for many different teams.
