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Reggie Sanders
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Reginald Laverne Sanders (born December 1, 1967) is an American former right fielder in Major League Baseball. He batted and threw right-handed. He played professionally with the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals, and was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks' 2001 World Series championship over the New York Yankees. Sanders possessed both power and speed and is one of eight MLB players to record over 300 home runs and over 300 steals.[1]
Key Information
Currently, Sanders is a special assistant to baseball operations for player and staff engagement for the Kansas City Royals. The team hired him in 2017.[2][3]
Early career
[edit]Sanders was 23 years old when he debuted in Major League Baseball (MLB) on August 22, 1991, after being selected in the seventh round of the 1987 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds. He attended Spartanburg Methodist College before beginning his pro career with the Rookie-level Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League in 1988.
Baseball career
[edit]Sanders was called up to the majors in August 1991. He made his major league debut on August 22 versus the Atlanta Braves, going 0-for-4. He played in nine games that year and hit his first MLB home run on September 26 against Atlanta pitcher Armando Reynoso.[4] The following year, he played more in the outfield, splitting between left and center field for 110 games (with a few pinch hit appearances). In 116 total games, he batted .270 with twelve home runs and 104 hits while striking out 98 times with 48 walks and stealing 16 bases on 23 attempts; he finished 4th in Rookie of the Year voting. He was put as the primary right fielder for 1993 and played 138 games while batting .274 with twenty home runs and 83 RBIs and 27 stolen bases on 37 attempts.
In the strike-shortened 1994 season, he batted just .263 while hitting 17 home runs with 21 stolen bases on 30 attempts but he also led the NL in strikeouts with 114. Sanders gained some notoriety during the 1994 season when Pedro Martínez hit him with a pitch to end his bid for a perfect game with one out in the eighth inning. Sanders responded by charging the mound and igniting a bench-clearing brawl. He was ridiculed by some in the press for believing that a pitcher would abandon an attempt at a perfect game to intentionally hit a batter.[5] In 1995, crediting a decision to adjust his batting stance (where he moved his hands from high and back to low and toward the front of the plate) for timing, Sanders had a career year, playing in 133 games and batting a career high .306 with 99 RBIs while hitting 28 home runs and stealing 36 bases on 48 attempts to go with 148 hits and 69 walks (all except the home runs wound up being career highs for Sanders). The Reds won the NL Central title that year and Sanders played as the right fielder for each game of their postseason run. He batted .154 in the NLDS with one home run and nine strikeouts as the Reds won in a three-game sweep over the Dodgers. It did not get better for Sanders as the Reds met the Braves in the 1995 NLCS, as Sanders proceeded to bat .125 with two total hits and ten strikeouts as the Braves swept Cincinnati.[6] 1996 saw him plagued with injuries that saw him go on the disabled list three times with a lower back strain in April, a sore rib cage in June, and torn ligaments in his right thumb in August. He played 81 total games and batted .251 with 14 home runs and 24 stolen bases.[7][8][9] Sanders was plagued by further injuries the following year, having had a bulging disc in his lower back in April to then pair up with severely spraining his right ankle in late May 1997 while sliding into second base trying to avoid a game-ending double play.[10] He played 86 games and batted .253 with 19 home runs and 13 stolen bases. He was healthier in 1998 for the Reds, playing in 135 games and batting .268 with 14 home runs and 20 stolen bases, although he struck out a career-high 137 times. On February 2, 1999, Sanders was traded by the Reds (along with Josh Harris and Damian Jackson) for Mark Sweeney and Greg Vaughn.[11]
In his one season with San Diego, he batted .285 in 133 games while having 26 home runs and 72 RBIs. On December 22, 1999, he was traded (alongside Wally Joyner and Quilvio Veras) to the Atlanta Braves for Bret Boone, Ryan Klesko and Jason Shiell. Sanders would play as a free agent for five different teams in the next five seasons. With Atlanta in 2000, he batted .232 in 103 games while playing mostly in left field but got to return to the postseason; in the NLDS, he went 0-for-9 with two walks as the Braves lost. With Arizona in 2001, he played 126 games and batted .263 with 90 RBIs and a career-high 33 home runs to go with 14 stolen bases as the Diamondbacks made a run to the World Series. Sanders got his first postseason home run in six years when he broke a scoreless tie in Game 5 of the NLDS versus St. Louis. It was his only RBI of that series, but Arizona won the game 2–1 to move on to the NLCS. Facing Atlanta, Sanders batted .118 while playing in right field, but Arizona won in five games anyway. In the 2001 World Series versus the New York Yankees, Sanders played the first six games in right field and batted .304 but stole just one base with one RBI. He didn't play in Game 7 due to being benched by manager Bob Brenly but Arizona won to give Sanders a World Series ring.[12]
With San Francisco in 2002, he played 140 games and batted .250 while hitting 23 home runs with 18 stolen bases. He played in each of the 16 postseason games for the Giants in that year, which included the 2002 World Series. He hit a home run in both Game 1 and Game 2 of the series, but the Giants lost the series in seven games; Sanders had seven RBIs in the postseason, albeit with all but one being in the World Series. With Pittsburgh in 2003, he batted .285 while having 31 home runs and 15 stolen bases. On August 20, 2003, Sanders became the fortieth player in MLB history to hit two home runs in an inning, doing so against the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the 5th inning. He was only the third Pirates player to accomplish the feat. Sanders' first home run of the inning came as the third in a back-to-back-to-back string for the Pirates; the second was a grand slam.[13] With St. Louis in 2004, he played in 135 games and batted .260 while hitting for 22 home runs with 21 stolen bases. He played in all but one of the postseason games during the trip to the World Series, which saw him have eight total hits with one RBI and go hitless in the World Series, which ended in a sweep for Boston. He returned to the Cards for 2005, which saw him bat .271 in just 93 games with 21 home runs and 14 stolen bases. Sanders had a breakout of sorts during the 2005 National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres. In a three-game sweep of the Padres, Sanders had ten runs batted in (with six coming in Game 1) a new record for a division series. In Game 1 of the 2005 NLCS, Sanders hit a two-run home run to give the Cardinals a two-run lead, making it his seventh career postseason home run. Sanders went cold from that game on however, having just two total hits after Game 1 as the Cardinals would lose the series in six games, giving the Houston Astros their first NL pennant and trip to the World Series.
Sanders played in 88 games and batted .246 with 11 home runs and 7 stolen bases as a free agent who signed with the Royals for 2006. On June 10, 2006, as a member of the Royals, Sanders hit his 300th home run. This made him the fifth member of Major League Baseball's 300-300 club, as he had stolen the 300th base of his career on May 1.[14][15] He became the first player in history to join the club at his home stadium. Steve Finley of the San Francisco Giants joined the 300-300 club as its sixth member on June 14, four days after Sanders achieved the feat. Sanders hit 20 or more home runs in one season for six different teams. He hit at least 10 home runs in a season for every major league team he played for (eight in all).[16]
Sanders missed the majority of the 2007 season due to an injury and became a free agent after the season. In what ended up as his final game on July 29, 2007, Sanders went 1-for-3, with his final hit being a single that scored a run in a 10–0 victory for Kansas City.
Career statistics
[edit]| Years | Games | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | FLD% |
| 17 | 1,777 | 7043 | 6,241 | 1,037 | 1,666 | 341 | 60 | 305 | 983 | 304 | 674 | 1,614 | .267 | .343 | .487 | .981 |
In 64 postseason games, Sanders batted .195 (43-for-221) with 24 runs, 7 home runs, 25 RBI, 9 stolen bases, and 26 walks.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Simon, Andrew (January 14, 2022). "These are MLB's top power-speed combos". MLB.com. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Dodd, Rustin (February 15, 2017). "Royals hire former All-Star Reggie Sanders to work as special assistant". Kansas City Star.
- ^ "Kansas City Royals Staff Directory". MLB.com. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ "Reggie Sanders Career Home Runs".
- ^ "Cincinnati Reds at Montreal Expos Box Score, April 13, 1994". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Hersh, Hank (March 12, 1996). "Reggie Sanders". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "Monday Sports Digest". April 22, 1996.
- ^ "Davis in, Sanders out for Reds". The Washington Post. June 11, 1996. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ "Reds Might Lose Sanders for Season". Los Angeles Times. August 31, 1996.
- ^ "Oft-Injured Sanders Will Miss 4-6 Weeks". Los Angeles Times. May 27, 1997.
- ^ "Padres Trade Vaughn to the Reds for Sanders". Los Angeles Times. February 3, 1999.
- ^ "Sanders was thunderstruck". SFGate. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "MLB Players with Two Home Runs in an Inning". mlb.com.
- ^ "KC@DET: Sanders steals his 300th career base | 05/01/2006". MLB.com.
- ^ "TB@KC: Sanders hits career home run no. 300 | 06/10/2006". MLB.com.
- ^ "Reggie Sanders Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · ESPN · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
Reggie Sanders
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Amateur Career
Early Life
Reginald Laverne Sanders was born on December 1, 1967, in Florence, South Carolina.[6][2] As the oldest of two children born to parents Ernest and Thelma Sanders, he was raised in a close-knit, conservative Christian household where family values played a central role in his upbringing.[6] His mother, Thelma, provided unwavering support throughout his life, while his father, Ernest, who has since passed away, served as a significant influence on his development.[6] Sanders' introduction to organized baseball came at age seven through the Boys and Girls Club of Florence, South Carolina, where his passion for the sport first ignited.[6] A devoted fan of the Atlanta Braves from an early age, he also engaged in informal games like stickball during winters, using a stick and aluminum foil ball with neighborhood friends, and by age eight, he joined a traveling all-star team for 10-and-under players, competing every weekend across the state.[6]Amateur Career
Reggie Sanders began his organized baseball journey at a young age, starting with the Boys and Girls Club of Florence, South Carolina, at seven years old. By age eight, he had advanced to a 10-and-under traveling all-star team, where he competed in tournaments across South Carolina every weekend, honing his skills in a competitive environment.[6] In high school, Sanders played baseball at Wilson High School in Florence, South Carolina, graduating in 1986. There, he developed as an outfielder, showcasing the athleticism and hand-eye coordination that would define his career.[1][2] Sanders continued his amateur career at Spartanburg Methodist College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he played for the Pioneers and earned an Associate of Science degree in 1988. His performance on the junior college diamond drew professional scouts' attention, leading to his selection by the Cincinnati Reds in the seventh round (180th overall) of the 1987 MLB June Amateur Draft.[7][2][1]Professional Baseball Career
Cincinnati Reds Years (1991–1998)
Reggie Sanders began his professional career with the Cincinnati Reds after being selected in the seventh round of the 1987 MLB Draft out of Spartanburg Methodist College.[1] He progressed through the Reds' minor league system over the next four seasons, starting as a shortstop with the Rookie-level Billings Mustangs in 1988 and advancing to Double-A Chattanooga by 1991, where he batted .315 with 8 home runs in 86 games that year.[8] On August 22, 1991, Sanders made his major league debut with the Reds as a center fielder against the Houston Astros at Riverfront Stadium, going 0-for-4 in a 4-3 loss; he appeared in nine games that September, hitting .200 with one home run.[9] This call-up marked the end of his minor league tenure, during which he demonstrated emerging power and speed potential across 333 games, compiling a .292 batting average, 35 home runs, and 87 stolen bases.[8] By 1992, Sanders had fully transitioned to the outfield, primarily right field, as the Reds sought to capitalize on his athleticism amid a crowded infield featuring Barry Larkin at shortstop.[1] In his first full season, he played 116 games, batting .270 with 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases, earning a fourth-place finish in National League Rookie of the Year voting.[2] This positional shift proved pivotal, allowing Sanders to develop into a prototypical power-speed outfielder over the next few years. From 1993 to 1995, he solidified his role in the Reds' lineup, averaging 126 games per season while blending extra-base power with base-stealing prowess; in 1993, he hit 20 home runs and stole 27 bases with a .274 average and 83 RBIs, followed by 17 home runs and 21 steals in the strike-shortened 1994 campaign at .263 with 62 RBIs.[2] His ability to contribute 15-20 home runs annually alongside 20-plus steals made him a dynamic threat in the outfield, helping anchor the Reds' offense during a competitive era in the NL Central.[10] Sanders' breakout came in 1995, when he earned his first and only All-Star selection as a reserve for the National League team, batting .306 with 28 home runs, 99 RBIs, and 36 stolen bases in 133 games—his .397 on-base percentage and .579 slugging marked career highs, culminating in a 6.6 WAR and sixth-place finish in NL MVP voting.[2] These contributions were instrumental in the Reds capturing the NL Central division title with a 85-59 record, their first postseason appearance since 1990, though they fell in the NLDS to the Atlanta Braves.[11] Sanders' performance that year exemplified his growth into a cornerstone player, blending speed (36-for-43 in steal attempts) with power in a lineup that emphasized athleticism.[12] Sanders remained with the Reds through the 1998 season, appearing in 555 games from 1996-1998 with a .256 average, 68 home runs, and 167 RBIs, though injuries and inconsistencies tempered his production compared to his peak years.[2] On February 2, 1999, following the 1998 campaign, the Reds traded Sanders, along with prospects Damian Jackson and Josh Harris, to the San Diego Padres in exchange for outfielder Greg Vaughn and first baseman Mark Sweeney, as part of a roster retooling effort amid financial constraints.[13] This deal ended his eight-year tenure with Cincinnati, where he had established himself as a fan favorite for his explosive style.[14]Mid-Career Transitions (1999–2002)
Following his departure from the Cincinnati Reds, Reggie Sanders entered a dynamic phase of his career marked by multiple team transitions during his athletic prime, where he showcased power hitting while contributing to two World Series-contending squads. Traded to the San Diego Padres on February 2, 1999, in exchange for outfielder Greg Vaughn and infielder Mark Sweeney, Sanders quickly adapted to his new environment in the National League West.[13] In 133 games that season, he batted .285 with 26 home runs and 72 RBIs, providing consistent outfield production and helping the Padres remain competitive in the division standings.[2] Sanders' tenure with San Diego proved short-lived, as he was traded again on December 22, 1999, to the Atlanta Braves along with first baseman Wally Joyner and second baseman Quilvio Veras for a package including first baseman Ryan Klesko, second baseman Bret Boone, and pitcher Jason Shiell.[13] His 2000 performance with Atlanta was hampered by injuries and inconsistency, yielding a .232 batting average, 11 home runs, and 37 RBIs over 103 games, though he appeared in three National League Division Series games without recording a hit.[2] Becoming a free agent on October 31, 2000, Sanders signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on January 11, 2001, joining a lineup featuring future Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.[13] In 2001, Sanders reached a career peak with Arizona, slashing .263/.358/.551 with 33 home runs and 90 RBIs in 126 games, demonstrating his power potential in a hitter-friendly park.[2] His postseason contributions were pivotal, as the Diamondbacks advanced through the playoffs to win the World Series against the New York Yankees in seven games; Sanders batted .304 with seven hits in six World Series contests, providing solid defense in right field with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over 168 innings.[1][15] Entering free agency again on November 6, 2001, he inked another one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants on January 8, 2002, reuniting with manager Dusty Baker from his Reds days.[13] Sanders rounded out this transitional period with the Giants in 2002, posting a .250 average with 23 home runs and 85 RBIs across 140 games, bolstering an offense led by Barry Bonds.[2] The team surged to the National League pennant, and Sanders participated in all 16 playoff games, including the World Series loss to the Anaheim Angels, where he homered twice for six RBIs and maintained error-free fielding in seven appearances.[15] These years highlighted Sanders' versatility and postseason poise, building on the foundation of his earlier success in Cincinnati to establish him as a valuable trade asset and contributor to championship-caliber teams.[2]Late-Career Stints (2003–2007)
In 2003, Reggie Sanders signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and enjoyed a resurgent season, batting .285 with 31 home runs and 87 RBI over 130 games.[2] One of his highlights came on August 20 against the St. Louis Cardinals, when he became the 13th player in MLB history to hit two home runs in the same inning, powering a 10-run fifth inning that led to a 12-2 victory.[16] This performance underscored his power potential late in his career, as he hit 31 home runs despite playing for a last-place team.[1] Sanders joined the St. Louis Cardinals as a free agent in December 2003, contributing to their consecutive National League Championship Series appearances. In 2004, he hit .260 with 22 home runs and 67 RBI in 135 games, providing steady outfield production during the regular season.[2] His 2005 campaign was interrupted by a broken right fibula in July from an outfield collision, limiting him to 93 games where he batted .271 with 21 home runs and 54 RBI.[1] Sanders rebounded dramatically in the postseason, playing a pivotal role in the National League Division Series sweep of the San Diego Padres; he went 4-for-12 (.333) with a grand slam in Game 1 that drove in six runs, totaling 10 RBI across the three games and setting an NLDS record for most RBI in a single series.[17] After signing a minor-league deal with the Kansas City Royals in February 2006, Sanders provided veteran leadership in the outfield. That year, he batted .246 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI in 88 games, reaching a personal milestone on June 10 by hitting his 300th career home run off Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitcher Chad Harville, making him the fifth player to join the 300-300 club with 304 stolen bases.[18] In 2007, Sanders appeared in only 24 games, batting .315 with two home runs and 11 RBI before a torn left hamstring in May sidelined him for most of the season; he briefly returned in July but re-injured the hamstring, leading to his placement on the disabled list.[19] Unable to fully recover, Sanders retired after the 2007 season, concluding a 17-year MLB career that spanned nine teams.[20]Career Statistics and Achievements
Regular Season and Postseason Stats
Reggie Sanders compiled a solid career as an outfielder over 17 Major League Baseball seasons, appearing in 1,777 games with a .267 batting average, 1,666 hits, 305 home runs, 983 runs batted in, and 304 stolen bases across 6,241 at-bats and 7,043 plate appearances.[2][21] His 3,042 total bases underscored his power-speed combination, contributing to an on-base plus slugging percentage of .830.[1] These figures reflect his consistent production as a right-handed hitter who blended extra-base hits with base-stealing prowess, amassing over 100 runs scored in multiple seasons.[22] In the postseason, Sanders participated in 64 games over seven appearances, including three World Series, batting .195 with 43 hits, 7 home runs, 25 runs batted in, and 9 stolen bases in 221 at-bats.[2][23] His playoff performance, while below his regular-season norms, included key power contributions, such as a home run in the 1995 National League Division Series and the 2002 World Series.[1] The following table summarizes Sanders' home runs and stolen bases by team, highlighting his peak production with the Cincinnati Reds and sustained output in later years:| Team | Years | Home Runs | Stolen Bases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds | 1991–1998 | 125 | 158 |
| San Diego Padres | 1999 | 26 | 36 |
| Atlanta Braves | 2000 | 11 | 21 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 2001 | 33 | 14 |
| San Francisco Giants | 2002 | 23 | 18 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 2003 | 31 | 15 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 2004–2005 | 43 | 35 |
| Kansas City Royals | 2006–2007 | 13 | 7 |
| Career Totals | 305 | 304 |