WASHINGTON, D.C. – Just a day after Major League Baseball’s 2024 Opening Day, former Tennessee Volunteer Trey Lipscomb earned his big-league call-up on Friday, having his contract purchased by the Washington Nationals.
Lipscomb, a native of Frederick, Maryland, which is just an hour away from Nationals Park, turned heads in a big way during Spring Training with an incredible 20-for-50 (.400) line at the plate. In 152 minor-league games over the past two seasons, he logged 168 hits, with 45 going for extra-bases.
“He stays in the middle of the field,” Nationals’ manager Dave Martinez said. “You haven’t seen the power that he has. … I’ve seen him take batting practice. This guy smashes the ball to center field. That’s awesome.”
One thing that has made him a prized prospect is his versatility in the field. Lipscomb locked-down the hot corner during his breakout 2022 season with the Vols, but the Nationals believe he can play every position on the infield, as well as the corner outfield positions. That utility means he could be seeing lots of playing time sooner rather than later.
With the call-up, Lipscomb becomes the fourth VFL in the Tony Vitello Era to make it to the big leagues, joining Andre Lipcius (2023 – Detroit Tigers), Ben Joyce (2023 – Los Angeles Angels) and Garrett Crochet (2020 – Chicago White Sox). He is also the second player from UT’s record-setting 2022 draft class to make it to the majors, joining Joyce, who was called up on May 28, 2023. That 2022 class featured a program-record 10 individuals selected across the three days of the draft.
Lipscomb will be the 46th VFL in program history to make it to the big leagues, joining Crochet, Yan Gomes and Nick Senzel as current major-leaguers who played at Tennessee.
Lipscomb and the Nationals will play their second game of the 2024 campaign on Saturday, March 30, against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is slated for 4:10 p.m. ET.
Lipscomb, a native of Frederick, Maryland, which is just an hour away from Nationals Park, turned heads in a big way during Spring Training with an incredible 20-for-50 (.400) line at the plate. In 152 minor-league games over the past two seasons, he logged 168 hits, with 45 going for extra-bases.
“He stays in the middle of the field,” Nationals’ manager Dave Martinez said. “You haven’t seen the power that he has. … I’ve seen him take batting practice. This guy smashes the ball to center field. That’s awesome.”
One thing that has made him a prized prospect is his versatility in the field. Lipscomb locked-down the hot corner during his breakout 2022 season with the Vols, but the Nationals believe he can play every position on the infield, as well as the corner outfield positions. That utility means he could be seeing lots of playing time sooner rather than later.
With the call-up, Lipscomb becomes the fourth VFL in the Tony Vitello Era to make it to the big leagues, joining Andre Lipcius (2023 – Detroit Tigers), Ben Joyce (2023 – Los Angeles Angels) and Garrett Crochet (2020 – Chicago White Sox). He is also the second player from UT’s record-setting 2022 draft class to make it to the majors, joining Joyce, who was called up on May 28, 2023. That 2022 class featured a program-record 10 individuals selected across the three days of the draft.
Lipscomb will be the 46th VFL in program history to make it to the big leagues, joining Crochet, Yan Gomes and Nick Senzel as current major-leaguers who played at Tennessee.
Lipscomb and the Nationals will play their second game of the 2024 campaign on Saturday, March 30, against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is slated for 4:10 p.m. ET.
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