David J. Sappelt (born January 2, 1987) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

and

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

. He is and weighs . He bats and throws right handed. He graduated from Southern Alamance High School in Burlington, NC. Sappelt played college baseball at

Coastal Carolina University Coastal Carolina University (CCU or Coastal) is a public university in Conway, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1954 as Coastal Carolina Junior College, and later joining the University of South Carolina System as USC Coastal Carolina, ...

Professional career

Cincinnati Reds

The

drafted Sappelt in the 9th round, with the 269th overall selection, of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. He played 2008 for the rookie-level

Billings Mustangs The Billings Mustangs are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Billings, Montana, and have played their home games at Deh ...

. Sappelt hit .299 with seven home runs and 35 RBI in 254 at-bats. He had 301 at-bats for Single-A

Dayton Dragons The Dayton Dragons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Dayton, Ohio, and play their home games at Day Air Ballpark. In 2011, they broke the record for most ...

in 2009, hitting .269 with three home runs and 25 RBI; in 251 at-bats for the High-A

Sarasota Reds The Sarasota Reds were a professional minor league baseball team, located in Sarasota, Florida, as a member of the Florida State League. The team originally started play in Sarasota as the Sarasota White Sox in 1989. They remained in the city for ...

he hit .295 with four home runs and 21 RBI. Sappelt started 2010 with the High-A

Lynchburg Hillcats The Lynchburg Hillcats are a Minor League Baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia that plays in the Carolina League and is the Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They were a farm team of the Atlanta Braves from 2011 to 2014, the Cincinn ...

. He hit .282 with no home runs and four RBI in 71 at-bats. Sappelt was promoted to the Double-A

Carolina Mudcats The Carolina Mudcats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, and play their home games ...

, and hit .361 with nine home runs and 62 RBI in 330 at-bats. He was a mid- and post-season All-Star in the Southern League for the Mudcats, and was named Southern League Most Valuable Player. Sappelt's performance earned him a promotion to Triple-A

Louisville Bats The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, wi ...

, where he hit .324 with one home run and eight RBI in 108 at-bats for the Bats. His season totals for 2010 were 509 at-bats, .342 average, 10 home runs, and 74 RBI. Sappelt was named the Reds' Minor League Hitter of the Year. His season performance earned him a trip to the prestigious

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...

, where he hit .292 in 72 at-bats with no home runs and 10 RBI. Sappelt also played in the

Venezuelan Winter League The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (, or LVBP) is the top-level professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year. History Background and predecessors Baseball had been play ...

, batting .305 with one home run and 10 RBI in 118 at-bats. He received a non-roster invitation to

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

for 2011. Sappelt was invited to the major league

camp in 2011 as a

non-roster invitee A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...

. He backed up his award as Reds Minor League Hitter of the Year by hitting .564 (22-for-38), along with three homers and 12 RBI. However, Sappelt was cut from the Reds roster late in spring. Manager

Dusty Baker Johnnie B "Dusty" Baker Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and Manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for 19 seasons, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers. D ...

said that a lot of the decision had to do with the fact that Sappelt was not on the

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...

, which at the time was full. Sappelt went back to Louisville for the 2011 season, and continued hitting. Through his first 74 games as the Bats' center fielder, he hit .313 with seven home runs and 29 RBI, including a .358 average against lefties. After

Chris Heisey Christopher J. Heisey (born December 14, 1984) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals. Early life Heisey graduated f ...

injured his oblique in batting practice and was placed on the 15-day disabled list, Sappelt was called up to the major leagues for the first time on August 7, 2011. He made his MLB debut against the

, leading off and playing left field.

Chicago Cubs

On December 23, 2011, Sappelt was traded with Travis Wood and Ronald Torreyes to the

in exchange for Sean Marshall. Sappelt made 26 appearances for the Cubs during the 2012 season, batting .275/.351/.449 with two home runs and eight RBI. On May 6, 2013, Sappelt was optioned to the Triple-A

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. T ...

. In 31 appearances for Chicago, he slashed .240/.269/.280 with four RBI and three stolen bases. Sappelt was designated for assignment by the Cubs on September 3. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Iowa on September 5.

Acereros de Monclova

On December 18, 2013, the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

signed Sappelt to a minor league contract, that included a spring training invitation. He was released prior to the start of the season on April 3, 2014. On June 24, 2014, Sappelt signed with the

Acereros de Monclova The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports l ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. In 13 games for Monclova, Sappelt batted .400/.446/.480 with no home runs and six RBI.

Rojos del Águila de Veracruz

On July 9, 2014, Sappelt was traded to the Rojos del Águila de Veracruz. In 33 games for Veracruz, Sappelt hit .275/.331/.374 with no home runs, 10 RBI, and four stolen bases.

Piratas de Campeche

On February 11, 2015, Sappelt signed with the

Piratas de Campeche The Piratas de Campeche (English: Campeche Pirates) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League (LMB) based in Campeche, Campeche, Mexico. History In 1980, the Alacranes de Durango moved to Campeche, and played their home games at Ven ...

of the

. In 54 appearances for the Pirates, Sappelt batted .335/.398/.546 with 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and five stolen bases.

Boston Red Sox

On June 9, 2015, Sappelt signed a minor league contract with the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

. In 8 games for the Double-A

Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red ...

, he went 6-for-29 (.207) with 2 home runs and 2 RBI. Sappelt elected free agency following the season on November 6.

Sultanes de Monterrey

On June 28, 2016, Sappelt was traded to the

Sultanes de Monterrey The Sultanes de Monterrey (English: Monterrey Sultans) are a professional baseball club in the Mexican League (LMB) based in Monterrey, Mexico. Established in 1939 as Carta Blanca, the Sultanes have won ten LMB titles, most recently in 2018. Fro ...

of the

. In 39 games for the team, he batted .371/.397/.537 with four home runs, 27 RBI, and two stolen bases.

Olmecas de Tabasco

On February 27, 2017, Sappelt was traded to the

Olmecas de Tabasco The Olmecas de Tabasco (English: Tabasco Olmecs) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. Their home ballpark is the Estadio Centenario 27 de Febrero. The Olmecas won their only Mexican Lea ...

of the

. In 14 games for Tabasco, he batted .250/.288/.375 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. Sappelt was released by the Olmecas on April 17.

Rieleros de Aguascalientes

On May 5, 2017, Sappelt signed with the

Rieleros de Aguascalientes The Rieleros de Aguascalientes (English: Aguascalientes Railroaders) are a professional baseball team based in Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes that competes in the Mexican League. Established in 1975, the Rieleros have won the Mexican League cha ...

of the

. In 80 appearances for Aguascalientes, he slashed .288/.375/.464 with 12 home runs, 40 RBI, and four stolen bases. Sappelt was released by the Rieleros on November 11.

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

On May 27, 2018, Sappelt signed with the

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are an American professional baseball team based in Waldorf, Maryland. They are members of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent "partner league" of Major League Base ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

. In 7 games for the Blue Crabs, he went 5-for-27 (.185) with one home run and two RBI. Sappelt was released by the team on June 7.

Winnipeg Goldeyes

On June 13, 2018, Sappelt signed with the

Winnipeg Goldeyes The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of ...

of the

American Association of Independent Professional Baseball The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor lea ...

. In 28 games for Winnipeg, he batted .250/.351/.371 with two home runs, 14 RBI, and one stolen base.

Tigres de Quintana Roo

On July 15, 2018, Sappelt signed with the

Tigres de Quintana Roo The Tigres de Quintana Roo (English: Quintana Roo Tigers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The team is part of the Southern Division (). The team has won twelve championships to date: ...

of the

. In 13 appearances for Quintana Roo, he batted .308/.377/.404 with one home run, five RBI, and one stolen base. Sappelt was released by the Tigres on July 30.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sappelt, Dave 1987 births Living people Acereros de Monclova players African-American baseball players Águilas de Mexicali players American expatriate baseball players in Canada American expatriate baseball players in Mexico Billings Mustangs players Bravos de Margarita players 21st-century American sportsmen American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Caribes de Anzoátegui players Carolina Mudcats players Chicago Cubs players Cincinnati Reds players Coastal Carolina Chanticleers baseball players Dayton Dragons players Iowa Cubs players Louisville Bats players Lynchburg Hillcats players Major League Baseball outfielders Mexican League baseball outfielders Olmecas de Tabasco players Baseball players from Alamance County, North Carolina Peoria Saguaros players Piratas de Campeche players Portland Sea Dogs players Rieleros de Aguascalientes players Rojos del Águila de Veracruz players Sarasota Reds players Southern Maryland Blue Crabs players Tigres de Quintana Roo players Winnipeg Goldeyes players 21st-century African-American sportsmen Baseball players from Buffalo, New York