Tigers call up Lipcius, UT baseball product
Former Tennessee baseball third baseman Andre Lipcius was called up by the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, the team announced.
Lipcius’ first appearance will mark his Major League Baseball debut. He hit .272 with 11 homers and 58 RBIs with the Toledo Mud Hens, Detroit’s Triple-A affiliate. He has played multiple positions in the infield, including first base and second base and the outfield.
Lipcius’ call-up comes as MLB rosters expand from 26 to 28 in September. He already was on the Tigers’ 40-man roster and had a stout spring training showing.
The Tigers drafted Lipcius in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft with the No. 83 pick. He is the third Tennessee baseball product of the Tony Vitello era to reach the major leagues. Pitcher Garrett Crochet debuted with the Chicago White Sox in 2020, the same year he was drafted in the first round. Pitcher Ben Joyce reached the Major Leagues with the Los Angeles Angels this season after he was drafted in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
Lipcius hit .300 with 25 homers and 126 RBIs in three seasons at Tennessee. He hit .308 with 17 homers and 58 RBIs as a junior. He was the No. 3 hitter on Tennessee’s 2019 team, which reached the NCAA Tournament to snap a drought dating back to 2005. Lipcius played three positions in three seasons, starting his career at first base before playing shortstop then settling in at third base.
Lipcius’ twin brother, Luc, holds the Tennessee career home run record with 40.
Tennessee produced three of the top-100 prospects, according to MLB.com. Drew Gilbert, a New York Mets outfield prospect, is the highestranked Vols product as the No. 57 prospect. Pitcher Chase Dollander is second at No. 64 and outfielder Jordan Beck is No. 89. Dollander and Beck are with the Colorado Rockies. All three were firstround picks.