Dominic Brown (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Domonic Larun Brown is an outfielder
in the Philadelphia Phillies
organization. Brown was named the Phillies' top prospect in 2009 and the top prospect in all of Major League Baseball
in 2010 by Baseball America
, and has been described as a five-tool player
. He is officially listed as standing 6 in 5 in (1.96 m) tall and weighing 200 pounds (90.7 kg).
out of Redan High School
in Stone Mountain, Georgia
. Since he moved to the Atlanta area from Florida, Brown had "fallen off some teams' radars" prior to the draft. He participated in a private batting session with Phillies representatives at a local park, and after making one adjustment to his swing, scouting director Marti Wolever couldn't believe what [they] were seeing. Brown planned to attend the University of Miami
to play wide receiver
for the Hurricanes
, but the Phillies offered him a $200,000 signing bonus
to choose baseball instead.
(GCL) affiliate, where he batted
.214 and collected one home run
, seven runs batted in (RBI), and thirteen stolen base
s—which tied him for the team lead with Adrian Cardenas
—during the 2006 season. For 2007, he earned a promotion to the Williamsport Crosscutters
of the New York – Penn League. He played in 74 games with Williamsport, batting in 39 runs and collecting 21 extra-base hits. His 27 walks
were second on the team, and his .295 batting average was the team's best among players with more than 10 appearances. On defense, he played in the most games for the team in both center field and right field. His performance allowed him a late promotion to the advanced-A Clearwater Threshers
, where he batted .444 with one home run and seven RBI in eleven plate appearance
s.
. In 591 plate appearances (second on the team), Brown collected a .291 batting average, 54 RBI, 23 doubles
, and 9 home runs. He played 69 games in center field and 59 in right, amassing 208 putout
s, 12 outfield assists
, and participating in 4 double play
s. Before the 2009 season, Baseball America
ranked Brown the 48th-best prospect in the country, as well as the top prospect in the Phillies' farm system. He played at three levels during the 2009 season, spending most of the season with Clearwater. He batted .303 for the Threshers, notching 12 doubles, 11 home runs, and 44 RBI in 66 games played
. His batting average was tied for second-highest on the team, and his 11 home runs were tied for the third-highest total. He played in 65 of his 66 games in right field, making nine assists and five errors
. After promotion to the double-A Reading Phillies
, Brown batted .279 with 20 RBI and 8 stolen bases; he also hit three home runs and four triples
(tied for the team lead). Including a short stint with the GCL Phillies, Brown accumulated a .299 batting average for the year, along with a .377 on-base percentage and a .504 slugging percentage. His 14 home runs were the most in a single season in his minor league career to that point, as were his 44 extra-base hits. After the season, Brown's name was included in trade rumors related to pitcher Roy Halladay
; however, the Phillies refused to part with him, including outfield prospect Michael Taylor
instead.
Brown was invited to the major league camp for spring training
in 2010, during which MLB.com
, Major League Baseball's official website, ranked him the 14th-best prospect in the minor leagues. In a game against the Tigers, he hit two home runs—one against Justin Verlander
—and added a bases-loaded infield single
to collect a third RBI. Of his home run against Verlander, shortstop Jimmy Rollins
said, "That was legit. Big league stuff. (Phillies manager Charlie Manuel
) was there that morning trying to teach him how to get to his power." First baseman Ryan Howard
nicknamed Brown the "Total Package", noting that "I've seen him take batting practice" and that "[he's] got pop to all fields". The game was his last in major league camp, as he was sent down after its completion.
Regular season
Though it was speculated that he would begin the year with the triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs
, he was assigned to Reading for the start of the 2010 season, where he batted .333 in his first seven games. He drove in one of two runs for the double-A club on an RBI triple to back Philippe Aumont's no-hit bid on April 25. He was promoted to the IronPigs on June 25, after he batted .318 with 16 doubles, 3 triples, 15 homers, 47 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in 65 games. Chuck LaMar
, the Phillies' assistant general manager
, said that Brown "is just now starting to scratch the surface on his ceiling as a potential Major League player", praising his hand–eye coordination
and his power. He batted .405 in his first 12 games in Triple-A, hitting four home runs and batting in eleven. At midseason, Brown was selected to represent the United States in the 2010 All-Star Futures Game
. He started for the U.S. team, but left in the first inning after experiencing tightness in his hamstring
muscle running from the batter's box on an infield single. Brown was expected to return to the Lehigh Valley lineup after the All-Star break. Through July 27, he batted .327 with 20 home runs and 68 RBI between Reading and Lehigh Valley.
was placed on the disabled list
. He made his debut that night against the Arizona Diamondbacks
, playing right field and batting sixth. He hit an RBI double in his first at-bat, scoring Jayson Werth
, and scored his first run on a fielder's choice
by Wilson Valdez
. He notched his second hit with a single in his third at-bat, scoring again on a double by Carlos Ruiz. He batted in Raúl Ibáñez
with a sacrifice fly
in the bottom of the seventh inning for his second career RBI, finishing with two hits in three official at-bats. Brown received a standing ovation from the crowd prior to his first plate appearance
; he later said that the experience "was great" and that he "wasn't thinking about that at all". On August 10, Brown hit his first home run in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
Brown was sent down to AAA Lehigh Valley on July 29, 2011 to open a roster spot for Hunter Pence
.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organization. Brown was named the Phillies' top prospect in 2009 and the top prospect in all of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
in 2010 by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
, and has been described as a five-tool player
Five-tool player
In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities....
. He is officially listed as standing 6 in 5 in (1.96 m) tall and weighing 200 pounds (90.7 kg).
Draft
Brown was selected by the Phillies in the 20th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft2006 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 6 and 7. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.-First Round Selections:...
out of Redan High School
Redan High School
Redan High School is a public secondary school located in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The school is south of the city of Stone Mountain....
in Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.-Geography:...
. Since he moved to the Atlanta area from Florida, Brown had "fallen off some teams' radars" prior to the draft. He participated in a private batting session with Phillies representatives at a local park, and after making one adjustment to his swing, scouting director Marti Wolever couldn't believe what [they] were seeing. Brown planned to attend the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
to play wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, but the Phillies offered him a $200,000 signing bonus
Signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee, e.g., if the annual salary is lower than he or she desires...
to choose baseball instead.
2006–2007
After the draft, Brown was assigned to the Phillies' Gulf Coast LeagueGulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
(GCL) affiliate, where he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.214 and collected one home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
, seven runs batted in (RBI), and thirteen stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s—which tied him for the team lead with Adrian Cardenas
Adrian Cardenas
Adrian Cardenas is a minor league baseball infielder for the Oakland Athletics organization.Cardenas was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft...
—during the 2006 season. For 2007, he earned a promotion to the Williamsport Crosscutters
Williamsport Crosscutters
The Williamsport Crosscutters are a Short-Season A classification minor league baseball team based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
of the New York – Penn League. He played in 74 games with Williamsport, batting in 39 runs and collecting 21 extra-base hits. His 27 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
were second on the team, and his .295 batting average was the team's best among players with more than 10 appearances. On defense, he played in the most games for the team in both center field and right field. His performance allowed him a late promotion to the advanced-A Clearwater Threshers
Clearwater Threshers
The Clearwater Threshers are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the Florida State League. Since 2004, the team competes in the West Division....
, where he batted .444 with one home run and seven RBI in eleven plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
s.
2008–2009
In 2008, Brown played the entire season with the Phillies' A-level affiliate, the Lakewood BlueClawsLakewood BlueClaws
The Lakewood BlueClaws are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the South Atlantic League, a Class Single-A baseball league. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Park located in Lakewood Township, New Jersey...
. In 591 plate appearances (second on the team), Brown collected a .291 batting average, 54 RBI, 23 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 9 home runs. He played 69 games in center field and 59 in right, amassing 208 putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, 12 outfield assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
, and participating in 4 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s. Before the 2009 season, Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
ranked Brown the 48th-best prospect in the country, as well as the top prospect in the Phillies' farm system. He played at three levels during the 2009 season, spending most of the season with Clearwater. He batted .303 for the Threshers, notching 12 doubles, 11 home runs, and 44 RBI in 66 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. His batting average was tied for second-highest on the team, and his 11 home runs were tied for the third-highest total. He played in 65 of his 66 games in right field, making nine assists and five errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
. After promotion to the double-A Reading Phillies
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
, Brown batted .279 with 20 RBI and 8 stolen bases; he also hit three home runs and four triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(tied for the team lead). Including a short stint with the GCL Phillies, Brown accumulated a .299 batting average for the year, along with a .377 on-base percentage and a .504 slugging percentage. His 14 home runs were the most in a single season in his minor league career to that point, as were his 44 extra-base hits. After the season, Brown's name was included in trade rumors related to pitcher Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
; however, the Phillies refused to part with him, including outfield prospect Michael Taylor
Michael Taylor (baseball)
Michael D. Taylor is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics.-Baseball career:...
instead.
2010
Spring TrainingBrown was invited to the major league camp for spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in 2010, during which MLB.com
MLB.com
MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
, Major League Baseball's official website, ranked him the 14th-best prospect in the minor leagues. In a game against the Tigers, he hit two home runs—one against Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander
Justin Brooks Verlander is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball....
—and added a bases-loaded infield single
Infield hit
An infield hit is an outcome in baseball in which the batted ball stays in the infield but neither the batter nor any of the runners are put out. If the batter and the runners reach safely due to an error, it is not considered an infield hit. Runners normally only advance one base in an infield...
to collect a third RBI. Of his home run against Verlander, shortstop Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
said, "That was legit. Big league stuff. (Phillies manager Charlie Manuel
Charlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball manager of the Philadelphia Phillies...
) was there that morning trying to teach him how to get to his power." First baseman Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
nicknamed Brown the "Total Package", noting that "I've seen him take batting practice" and that "[he's] got pop to all fields". The game was his last in major league camp, as he was sent down after its completion.
Regular season
Though it was speculated that he would begin the year with the triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
, he was assigned to Reading for the start of the 2010 season, where he batted .333 in his first seven games. He drove in one of two runs for the double-A club on an RBI triple to back Philippe Aumont's no-hit bid on April 25. He was promoted to the IronPigs on June 25, after he batted .318 with 16 doubles, 3 triples, 15 homers, 47 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in 65 games. Chuck LaMar
Chuck LaMar
Charles G. "Chuck" LaMar was the first general manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays franchise in American Major League Baseball, being hired July 19, 1995 — several months after the Tampa Bay franchise was awarded...
, the Phillies' assistant general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
, said that Brown "is just now starting to scratch the surface on his ceiling as a potential Major League player", praising his hand–eye coordination
Eye–hand coordination
Eye–hand coordination is the coordinated control of eye movement with hand movement, and the processing of visual input to guide reaching and grasping along with the use of proprioception of the hands to guide the eyes. In simple terms, eye-hand coordination involves the coordinated vision and...
and his power. He batted .405 in his first 12 games in Triple-A, hitting four home runs and batting in eleven. At midseason, Brown was selected to represent the United States in the 2010 All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
. He started for the U.S. team, but left in the first inning after experiencing tightness in his hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
muscle running from the batter's box on an infield single. Brown was expected to return to the Lehigh Valley lineup after the All-Star break. Through July 27, he batted .327 with 20 home runs and 68 RBI between Reading and Lehigh Valley.
Major leagues
Brown was called up to the Phillies on July 28, 2010 after Shane VictorinoShane Victorino
Shane Patrick Victorino is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.-Career:...
was placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. He made his debut that night against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, playing right field and batting sixth. He hit an RBI double in his first at-bat, scoring Jayson Werth
Jayson Werth
Jayson Richard Gowan Werth is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right-handed.-Background:Werth was born in...
, and scored his first run on a fielder's choice
Fielder's choice
In baseball, fielder's choice is a term used to refer to a variety of plays involving an offensive player reaching a base due to the defense's attempt to put out another baserunner, or the defensive team's indifference to his advance...
by Wilson Valdez
Wilson Valdéz
Wilson Antonio Valdez is a Major League Baseball utility infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies.-Early career:Valdez was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Montreal Expos on February 4, 1997...
. He notched his second hit with a single in his third at-bat, scoring again on a double by Carlos Ruiz. He batted in Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Javier Ibáñez is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.Over his career, Ibáñez, who did not make 500 plate appearances until the age of thirty, has batted .280 with 377 doubles, 252 home runs and 1054 runs batted in over sixteen Major League seasons...
with a sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
in the bottom of the seventh inning for his second career RBI, finishing with two hits in three official at-bats. Brown received a standing ovation from the crowd prior to his first plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
; he later said that the experience "was great" and that he "wasn't thinking about that at all". On August 10, Brown hit his first home run in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
Brown was sent down to AAA Lehigh Valley on July 29, 2011 to open a roster spot for Hunter Pence
Hunter Pence
Hunter Andrew Pence is a Major League Baseball outfielder with the Philadelphia Phillies. Pence stands tall and weighs . He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life:...
.