The Phillies announced their minor league coaching staffs this afternoon. Among the hirings was the news that former big league utilityman Jake Elmore has accepted a role as hitting coach of the club’s Low-A affiliate in Clearwater.
The transition to coaching marks the end of the 34-year-old’s playing career. Elmore was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 34th round of the 2008 draft out of Arizona State. Despite that lack of amateur prospect pedigree, the right-handed hitter progressed up the minor league ladder and reached the majors in 2012. Elmore would log some big league action in each of the following four seasons as well, bouncing between the D-Backs, Astros, Reds, Rays and Brewers.
Elmore spent the 2017-18 seasons in Triple-A but returned to the majors for a bit with the Pirates in 2019. That proved his final major league experience, as the Alabama native spent 2020 at the Indians’ alternate training site and wrapped up his career with fifteen games for the Phils’ top affiliate in Lehigh Valley last season.
Altogether, Elmore suited up in parts of six big league seasons and tallied 527 plate appearances over 217 games. He hit .215/.292/.275 with four home runs and four stolen bases. Valued primarily for his defensive versatility, Elmore started games at all four infield spots and each of the three outfield positions during his big league run. He played nine years at Triple-A as part of a professional career that spanned 15 seasons, hitting .293/.389/.380 at the minors’ highest level. MLBTR congratulates Elmore on his lengthy run in pro ball and wishes him the best in his coaching career.
Elmore may be the only player in MLB history to play all 9 positions plus DH.
Actually a few did. (Tovar, Campaneris, Romine etc..) But Elmore was likely the only one who didn’t do it as a stunt.
The game where he caught and pitched was due partially to his being the emergency catcher (Castro was DH) and partially due to its being a blowout.
He pitched in 2 games (4.50 ERA) and caught 4 1/3 innings.
He played 47 games at shortstop, 30 games at 2nd base, 26 games at first base, 18 games at third base, 34 games in leftfield, 8 games in rightfield and 4 games in center.
Proof of 2 things: Jake was versatile and without a baseball season I notice these kinds of things.
Good luck Jake!
I really liked Jake Elmore as a player and always rooted for him no matter what team he played for. Congratulations on your playing career and good luck on your new gig.
Thus, Jake Elmore’s transition to coach lays to rest BA’s “official projection” that he would slug a career-high .694 OPS in 2022, his age-35 season.
Isn’t he part of the Blues Brothers?