Derek Hill (baseball)

Derek Jerome Hill (born December 30, 1995) is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Hill was drafted by the Tigers in the first round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.

Derek Hill
Hill with the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2016
Detroit Tigers – No. 54
Center fielder
Born: (1995-12-30) December 30, 1995
Des Moines, Iowa
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 4, 2020, for the Detroit Tigers
MLB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.091
Home runs0
Runs batted in0
Teams

Early life

Hill grew up in Des Moines, Iowa with his mother and spent his summers with his father in Northern California, where he played baseball for select teams.[1] In 2011, he moved to Sacramento and attended Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, California. He batted an even .500 (47-for-94) in his senior season, with 11 doubles, seven triples 30 runs batted in (RBI) and 29 stolen bases.

Professional career

Hill was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round, 23rd overall, in the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.[2] On June 11, the Tigers announced they agreed to terms on a deal with Hill that includes a $2 million signing bonus.[3] He was previously committed to play college baseball at the University of Oregon.[4] Hill spent 2014 with both the GCL Tigers and the Connecticut Tigers, posting a combined .208 batting average with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 47 games between both teams. Hill's 2015 season, in which he batted .238 with a .619 OPS and 25 stolen bases while playing for the West Michigan Whitecaps, was limited to only 53 games due to injury. Hill returned to West Michigan in 2016 where he improved, posting a .266 average with one home run, 31 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases. In 2017, Hill began the season with West Michigan, and after batting .285 with an .812 OPS, he was promoted to the Lakeland Flying Tigers in late August. He played in only nine games for them in which he batted .194.[5]

Hill was added to the Tigers 40–man roster following the 2019 season.[6] On September 2, 2020, Hill was recalled by the Tigers following a season-ending injury to JaCoby Jones. He made his MLB debut on September 4, 2020 as a defensive replacement.[7] He batted .091 with no home runs or RBI in 15 games for the Tigers in 2020.[8]

Personal life

Hill's father, Orsino Hill, is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers.[9]

References
  1. Hull, John (April 16, 2013). "EG's Hill turning heads with play in CF". Elk Grove Citizen. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  2. Top pick Hill brings potential dynamic talent to Tigers
  3. Beck, Jason (June 11, 2014). "Tigers agree to terms with first-round pick Hill". MLB.com. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  4. 2014 MLB draft: Oregon signee Derek Hill selected 23rd overall by Detroit Tigers
  5. "Derek Hill Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  6. Fenech, Anthony (November 20, 2019). "Detroit Tigers protect six players from Rule 5 draft. Here are their selections". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  7. Petzold, Evan (September 2, 2020). "Detroit Tigers call up 2014 first-round pick Derek Hill for MLB debut". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  8. https://www.mlb.com/player/derek-hill-656537?stats=career-r-hitting-mlb&year=2020
  9. Rodriguez, Matt (June 15, 2013). "Hill stealing the show at National". Perfect Game. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
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