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Andre Lipcius’ reported coaching move brings back a TMLR favorite
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- Andre Lipcius’ reported coaching move brings back a TMLR favorite
(USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Anyone who followed our coverage at Tigers Minor League Report knows I had a soft spot for Andre Lipcius. His approach at the plate and ability to move around the diamond made him a prospect I enjoyed following, which gives his reported move into major league coaching a little more personal interest.
MLB.com's Thomas Harding reported that the Rockies are bringing Lipcius in as a game-planning coach. At 28, the former Tigers infielder would be starting a new chapter in a major league clubhouse, with an opportunity to apply his baseball experience to helping other players prepare.
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Looking back through our TMLR coverage, there were reasons I kept coming back to him. In my May 24, 2022, minor league recap, I highlighted a week in which Lipcius went 9-for-20 with four doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs for Erie. I also noted that he was one of the few position players in Detroit's system with more walks than strikeouts at that point.
That combination was appealing. He could do damage when he got a pitch to hit, but he also showed a willingness to extend an at-bat and reach base without forcing the issue. Those were qualities worth following as he moved closer to Detroit.
Our May 2023 TMLR rankings, written by Chris Brown, moved Lipcius from No. 21 to No. 13. Even with a slow start at Toledo, the evaluation emphasized his patience, walks and ability to contribute defensively at multiple positions. That was our staff ranking, and it reflected the appeal of a player who had several possible ways to help a roster.
His background at the University of Tennessee adds to the story. Lipcius studied nuclear engineering while playing alongside his twin brother, Luc. He started at first base as a freshman, moved to shortstop as a sophomore and played third base as a junior, gaining experience with different responsibilities across the infield.
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He also contributed to an important period for the program. Lipcius earned Freshman All-America and SEC All-Freshman recognition in 2017. Two years later, he led Tennessee with 17 home runs and drove in 58 runs as the Volunteers reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 years. Detroit selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft.
The engineering background is interesting, but the baseball record deserves equal attention. Lipcius balanced a demanding field of study with changing positions and contributing to a program returning to postseason play. There is a broader history here than the brief major league opportunity Tigers fans eventually saw.
According to Evan Woodbery's MLive coverage of Harding's report, Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes became familiar with Lipcius while both were in the Dodgers' organization. Byrnes' favorable impression of how he thought about baseball helped create this opportunity.
Game planning will require Lipcius to turn what he recognizes into information another player can use. Understanding an opponent and explaining that understanding are separate skills, and coaching will give him a chance to develop the latter.
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I hoped Lipcius would find a longer-term role as a player in Detroit. That did not happen, but following prospects means staying interested in where their careers go after they leave the organization. His reported opportunity in Colorado gives me another reason to keep following a player whose approach I appreciated long before this coaching news.
