Reggie Abercrombie
Reginald Abercrombie | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 15, 1980 Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional baseball outfielder |
| Years active | 2006–2019 (MLB and independent leagues) |
| Known for | MLB appearances with Florida Marlins and Houston Astros; notable home run distance |
Reginald Damascus Abercrombie (born July 15, 1980) is a former American professional baseball outfielder who appeared in Major League Baseball (MLB) games with the Florida Marlins and Houston Astros.
Professional career
After graduating from Columbus High School, Abercrombie was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 23rd round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. Instead of signing immediately, he attended Florida Gateway College from 1999 to 2000 before officially signing on May 24, 2000. At the 2004 trade deadline, he was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks and later claimed off waivers by the Florida Marlins on April 6, 2005. Following an impressive spring training in 2006 (.358 batting average, .394 on-base percentage, .627 slugging), the Marlins called him up to the major leagues.
Despite having limited experience beyond Single-A ball, Abercrombie was part of a notable rookie group in 2006 that included talents such as Hanley Ramírez, Dan Uggla, and Josh Johnson, illustrating the Marlins’ developmental approach under owner Jeffrey Loria. Nevertheless, Abercrombie struggled to establish himself as a regular starter, concluding the season with a .212 batting average, .271 on-base percentage, and .333 slugging percentage over 281 plate appearances.
A highlight of his career occurred on April 19, 2006, when he launched a 486-foot home run off the Cincinnati Reds, which stood as the longest distance tracked by Hit Tracker Online until it was surpassed by Adam Dunn in 2008.
In the following year, Abercrombie saw reduced major league playing time, batting .197 with a .238 on-base percentage and .316 slugging in just 80 plate appearances. The majority of his season was spent with Triple-A’s Albuquerque Isotopes, where he performed strongly at the plate, hitting .323 with a .361 OBP and .584 slugging across 379 plate appearances.
Houston Astros
On October 11, 2007, Abercrombie was claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros from the Marlins. He was assigned outright to the minors on March 28, 2008. His contract was purchased on June 7, bringing him back to the active roster. After being designated for assignment on July 6, he was recalled again on August 9. In limited MLB action that season, he posted a .309 batting average and a .509 slugging percentage. He re-signed with Houston on January 5, 2009. Throughout that year, Abercrombie played for Houston’s AAA affiliate Round Rock, producing a .271/.312/.412 slash line with 11 home runs before electing free agency on November 9, 2009.
Independent ball
In 2010, Abercrombie signed with the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, where he played a key role in guiding them to the championship series and earned an All-Star nod. That season he compiled a .328 batting average with 22 home runs and 90 RBIs. The following year he maintained strong numbers with a .304 average along with 17 homers and 66 RBIs.
During both the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Abercrombie split time between Sioux Falls and teams in the Mexican League, combining for a .293 batting average with 17 home runs and 67 RBIs in 2012. In 2013, across multiple clubs, he hit .292 with 18 homers and drove in 73 runs.
Abercrombie joined the Winnipeg Goldeyes in 2014 and recorded a .284 batting average with 15 home runs and 74 RBIs. On February 9, 2015, he was traded to the Sussex County Miners of the Canadian-American Association for cash considerations and a player to be named later. That same year included stints back with Winnipeg as well as time with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League.
In addition to his minor league and MLB experience, Abercrombie also competed in various winter leagues including the Arizona Fall League, Mexican Pacific League, Puerto Rican Winter League, and Dominican Winter League.
On December 7, 2015, Abercrombie returned to play for the Goldeyes. He contributed significantly to their consecutive league titles before retiring after the conclusion of the 2019 season.
On August 11, 2023, in recognition of his impact on the franchise, the Winnipeg Goldeyes retired his number 11.
External links
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Articles without Wikidata item
- 1980 births
- Living people
- Acereros de Monclova players
- Albuquerque Isotopes players
- 21st-century American athletes
- American baseball players abroad in Canada
- American baseball players abroad in Mexico
- Baseball athletes originating from Columbus, Georgia
- Carolina Mudcats players
- Florida Marlins athletes
- Great Falls Dodgers players
- Grand Canyon Rafters players
- Houston Astros athletes
- Jacksonville Suns players
- Jupiter Hammerheads players
- Lake City Timberwolves baseball team members
- Lancaster JetHawks players
- Leones de Ponce baseball team members
- Major League Baseball center fielders
- Mayos de Navojoa players
- Mexican League center fielders
- Olmecas de Tabasco players
- Pericos de Puebla players
- Round Rock Express players
- Scottsdale Scorpions players
- Sioux Falls Canaries players
- Sioux Falls Pheasants players
- Southern Maryland Blue Crabs players
- Sussex County Miners players
- Tigres de Quintana Roo players
- Tigres del Licey players
- American baseball expatriates in the Dominican Republic
- Vero Beach Dodgers players
- Wilmington Waves players
- Winnipeg Goldeyes players
- Yaquis de Obregón players
- Florida Gateway College alumni