Russ Mitchell (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Russell Lance Mitchell is a Major League Baseball
player who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers
. Primarily a third baseman
, he has also played first base and left field in the minor leagues.
, Mitchell was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the 15th round of the 2003 MLB Draft
. He was promptly assigned to the rookie level Gulf Coast Dodgers
where he hit .338 in 26 games.
In 2004, he played with the Vero Beach Dodgers and Columbus Catfish
. In 2005 with the Ogden Raptors
he hit .289 with 13 home runs in 69 games and was named to the Pioneer League Post-Season All-Star Team. In 2006 with Columbus, he hit 15 home runs with 75 RBI and was selected to the South Atlantic League
All-Star Game.
In 2007 with the Inland Empire 66ers
he hit .324 with 22 homers and 82 RBI. He then played for the West Oahu CaneFires
of the Hawaii Winter Baseball
league following the season.
In 2008, he played with the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
and in 2009, he was with the Chattanooga Lookouts
. He played in the Arizona Fall League
after the 2009 season and was awarded the "Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award." He also received an invitation to Major League camp for 2010 spring training. He was assigned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
to start the season. In 126 games with the Isotopes in 2010, he hit .315 with 23 home runs and was selected to the PCL Post-season All-Star team.
On September 6, 2010, Mitchell was added to the 40-man roster and called up to the Dodgers. He made his Major League debut on September 8 against the San Diego Padres
. He started at first base but did not record a hit in two at-bats.
Mitchell's first Major League hit was a home run off San Francisco Giants
pitcher Jonathan Sánchez
on September 16, 2010. His second career hit was also a home run, this time off Franklin Morales
of the Colorado Rockies
two days later. He was the first Los Angeles Dodger player in history to hit home runs as his first two major league hits. He appeared in 15 games for the Dodgers, recording 6 hits in 42 at bats for a .143 average.
In 2011, he was assigned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
to start the season. In his first 17 games, he hit .214 with three home runs. On April 29, he was called up to the Dodgers, and made headlines on May 20 in Chicago when, against the White Sox, he stepped to the plate with two outs in the 9th inning, and hit a solo home run to tie the game up at 3-3, leading the Dodgers to a 6-4 win in extra innings. On May 27, after 14 games with the Dodgers, he returned to the Isotopes as Dodgers regular Casey Blake
returned from the disabled list
. Mitchell played in 93 games with the Isotopes during the season, hitting .283 with 16 home runs. He returned to the Dodgers in September and on the season he played in 25 games, with a .157 average and 2 home runs. He played much of the 2011 season with a wrist injury, finally choosing to have surgery on September 27, ending his season a few days early.
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...
player who plays for 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...
. Primarily a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, he has also played first base and left field in the minor leagues.
Professional career
A graduate of Cartersville High School in Cartersville, GeorgiaCartersville, Georgia
Cartersville is a town in Bartow County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 19,7314. The city is the county seat of Bartow County.-Geography:Cartersville was named for Colonel Farish Carter....
, Mitchell was selected by 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...
in the 15th round of the 2003 MLB Draft
MLB Draft
The First-Year Player Draft, also known as the Rule 4 Draft, is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players, from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs, to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with...
. He was promptly assigned to the rookie level Gulf Coast Dodgers
Gulf Coast Dodgers
The Arizona League Dodgers are the Rookie Level minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were formerly known as the Gulf Coast Dodgers and played in Vero Beach, Florida, at Dodgertown . Dodgertown includes Holman Stadium, which is also the former spring training home to the Brooklyn...
where he hit .338 in 26 games.
In 2004, he played with the Vero Beach Dodgers and Columbus Catfish
Columbus Catfish
The Columbus Catfish were a minor league baseball team in Columbus, Georgia. They were a Class A team in the South Atlantic League, and were an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 29, 2006. The Catfish relocated to Bowling Green, Kentucky for the 2009 season.The Catfish played home...
. In 2005 with the Ogden Raptors
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
he hit .289 with 13 home runs in 69 games and was named to the Pioneer League Post-Season All-Star Team. In 2006 with Columbus, he hit 15 home runs with 75 RBI and was selected to the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
All-Star Game.
In 2007 with the Inland Empire 66ers
Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino
The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a minor league baseball team in San Bernardino, California, United States. They are the Class A – Advanced affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and play in the California League...
he hit .324 with 22 homers and 82 RBI. He then played for the West Oahu CaneFires
West Oahu CaneFires
The West Oahu CaneFires were a minor league baseball team in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league. They are based in Waipahu, Hawaii. The name CaneFires is derived from the burning of sugarcane before harvest. There are many sugarcane plantations on the island of Oahu. The CaneFires began as the Kauai...
of the Hawaii Winter Baseball
Hawaii Winter Baseball
Hawaii Winter Baseball, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, was a professional baseball league located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It was loosely affiliated with Major League Baseball.-History:...
league following the season.
In 2008, he played with the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
and in 2009, he was with the Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
. He played in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
after the 2009 season and was awarded the "Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award." He also received an invitation to Major League camp for 2010 spring training. He was assigned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
to start the season. In 126 games with the Isotopes in 2010, he hit .315 with 23 home runs and was selected to the PCL Post-season All-Star team.
On September 6, 2010, Mitchell was added to the 40-man roster and called up to the Dodgers. He made his Major League debut on September 8 against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He started at first base but did not record a hit in two at-bats.
Mitchell's first Major League hit was a home run off San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
pitcher Jonathan Sánchez
Jonathan Sanchez
Jonathan O. Sánchez is a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals....
on September 16, 2010. His second career hit was also a home run, this time off Franklin Morales
Franklin Morales
Franklin Miguel Morales is an Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. A power-throwing left-hander, Morales was seen as one of the leading prospects in the Rockies farm system. He has a very good fastball, but his control is still developing...
of the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
two days later. He was the first Los Angeles Dodger player in history to hit home runs as his first two major league hits. He appeared in 15 games for the Dodgers, recording 6 hits in 42 at bats for a .143 average.
In 2011, he was assigned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
to start the season. In his first 17 games, he hit .214 with three home runs. On April 29, he was called up to the Dodgers, and made headlines on May 20 in Chicago when, against the White Sox, he stepped to the plate with two outs in the 9th inning, and hit a solo home run to tie the game up at 3-3, leading the Dodgers to a 6-4 win in extra innings. On May 27, after 14 games with the Dodgers, he returned to the Isotopes as Dodgers regular Casey Blake
Casey Blake
William Casey Blake is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.Blake previously played with the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers. He had alternated between playing at third base and first base before...
returned from 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:...
. Mitchell played in 93 games with the Isotopes during the season, hitting .283 with 16 home runs. He returned to the Dodgers in September and on the season he played in 25 games, with a .157 average and 2 home runs. He played much of the 2011 season with a wrist injury, finally choosing to have surgery on September 27, ending his season a few days early.