Desmond Jennings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Desmond Jennings |
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Jennings with the Rays in 2014
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: October 30, 1986 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 1, 2010, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 2, 2016, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .245 | ||
| Home runs | 55 | ||
| Runs batted in | 191 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Desmond Delane Jennings, born on October 30, 1986, is an American who used to play professional baseball. He was an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) and played for the Tampa Bay Rays.
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Desmond Jennings: A Baseball Player
Desmond Jennings was a talented baseball player known for his speed and hitting. He played as an outfielder, which is a position in baseball where players catch balls hit far into the field. He spent most of his professional career playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Early Life and Sports
Desmond Jennings was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He was one of three sons born to Edmond and Paulette Jennings. His cousin, Andre Smith, also became a professional athlete in the NFL.
When he was in high school at Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama, Desmond was a star in many sports. He played baseball, football, and basketball. He even had an offer to play both baseball and football at the Georgia Bulldogs college.
Starting His Professional Baseball Journey
After high school, the Cleveland Indians picked Desmond in the 2005 baseball draft. However, he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he went to Itawamba Community College to play both baseball and football.
At college, he was amazing at football, catching 54 passes and scoring 6 touchdowns. On the baseball field, he was just as good, hitting .378 and stealing 29 bases. In 2006, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays) chose him in their draft, and this time, he signed to become a professional baseball player.
Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays
Desmond Jennings was considered a very promising player early in his career. Baseball experts often listed him as one of the top young talents in the sport. He was even chosen to play in the 2010 All-Star Futures Game, which features the best young players.
In 2010, he played for the Triple-A Durham Bulls and also got a chance to play a few games with the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2011, he was called up to the Rays team full-time. On July 28, 2011, he hit his very first home run in a professional game. Later that year, on September 7, 2011, he hit a special home run called a walk-off home run. This hit won the game for the Rays and marked their 1,000th win in the team's history!
In 2013, Desmond became the main center fielder and lead-off hitter for the Rays. He had a strong season, hitting 14 home runs and stealing 20 bases. He led his team in triples and stolen bases that year.
During a game on May 7, 2013, Desmond hit a line drive that accidentally hit another player, J. A. Happ, in the head. Desmond was very upset by what happened, but Happ recovered.
Desmond continued to play for the Rays until August 2016. Over his seven years with the team, he hit 55 home runs and stole 95 bases.
Later Career and Coaching
After leaving the Tampa Bay Rays, Desmond Jennings signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds in February 2017, but he was released before the season started.
Then, in April 2017, he signed with the New York Mets and played for their Triple-A team, the Las Vegas 51s. He played 55 games for them before being released in June 2017.
In April 2018, Desmond played baseball in Mexico for the Acereros de Monclova team. He played well, hitting 10 home runs in 34 games. After that season, he became a free agent.
More recently, in February 2025, Desmond Jennings joined the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He now works as a development and assistant hitting coach for their Single-A team, the Clearwater Threshers. This means he helps young players learn and improve their hitting skills.
