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 a former American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Growing Up in Alabama
Desmond Jennings was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He was the second of three sons for his parents, Edmond and Paulette Jennings. His cousin, Andre Smith, also became a professional athlete in the NFL.
High School Sports Star
While attending Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama, Desmond was a talented athlete. He earned varsity letters in three different sports: baseball, football, and basketball. He was so good that the Georgia Bulldogs college team offered him a chance to play both baseball and football for them.
College and Draft Choices
After high school, Desmond didn't qualify academically for the University of Alabama. So, he decided to go to Itawamba Community College. There, he continued to play both baseball and football.
In football, he was a wide receiver and led all junior college players with 54 catches. He scored 6 touchdowns and gained 848 yards in just 8 games. On the baseball field, he was also impressive, hitting for a .378 batting average and stealing 29 bases.
Desmond was first picked by the Cleveland Indians in the 2005 amateur draft, but he didn't sign with them. The next year, in the 2006 amateur draft, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays) chose him in the 10th round, and this time, he signed to start his professional baseball journey.
Professional Baseball Career
Rising Through the Ranks
Desmond Jennings quickly became a promising young player, known as a "prospect." Baseball experts at Baseball America ranked him as the Rays' fifth-best prospect in 2009. He was even considered one of the top 100 prospects in all of baseball from 2008 to 2011.
In 2010, Desmond played for the Triple-A Durham Bulls, which is just one step below the Major Leagues. He batted .278 for the season there. He also got a short chance to play with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he batted .190 in 21 turns at bat.
Making His MLB Debut
On July 23, 2011, Desmond was called up to the Tampa Bay Rays to play in Major League Baseball. Before his call-up, he was batting .275 and leading his league in runs scored.
Just a few days later, on July 28, 2011, Desmond hit his first career home run! It was a two-run shot against the Oakland Athletics. Later that season, on September 7, 2011, he hit his first career walk-off home run. This exciting hit gave the Rays a 5-4 win and marked their 1,000th win in franchise history.
Starting Center Fielder
In 2013, Desmond became the starting center fielder and lead-off hitter for the Rays. This meant he was usually the first player to bat in each game. He played in 139 games that season. He finished with a .252 batting average, 14 home runs, and 54 runs batted in (RBI). He also led the team with 6 triples and 20 stolen bases.
On May 7, 2013, during a game, Desmond hit a line drive that accidentally hit Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J. A. Happ. Desmond was very concerned about what happened, but he stayed in the game.
Later Years with the Rays
In 2015, Desmond had to take some time off due to a knee injury. On August 26, 2016, the Rays announced that they would release him from the team the next day.
Over his seven years playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, Desmond Jennings had a batting average of .245. He hit 55 home runs, had 191 runs batted in, and stole 95 bases.
After the Rays
After leaving the Rays, Desmond signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds in February 2017. However, he was released by them in March.
Then, in April 2017, he signed another minor league contract, this time with the New York Mets. He played for their Triple-A team, the Las Vegas 51s, but was released in June.
In 2018, Desmond played for the Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican Baseball League. He became a free agent after that season.
