Lutz To Become The First German Big Leaguer

Today the Cincinnati Reds added OF Chris Heisey to the 15-day disabled list and called up Donald Lutz.

Lutz was born in Watertown, New York, but when he was a one-year-old, his German mother took him back to Germany. He was introduced to baseball when he was 15 years old.

Once Lutz makes his debut, he will become the first German to play in a Major League Baseball game.

Before today, Lutz was playing in AA Pensacola, where he was hitting .211, he has hit five home runs, and knocked in 14 runs. Lutz bats left and throws right. He says the first time he picked up a baseball bat in Germany, he tried batting right-handed, and said it felt “awkward”, he then tried batting left,  because he played hockey left-handed, and he started hitting baseballs over the fence.

If Lutz or Xavier Paul starts tonight in left, all three outfielders will be left-handed hitters; Lutz/Paul, Choo, and Bruce.

Donald’s twitter bio has read “I wanna be the first German in the big leagues” for a long time, well his wish has been granted, he is the first German to make it to the big leagues, now he’ll try to show the Reds that he can be a solid Major League Player.