The Dodgers have sent infielder Andre Lipcius to Triple-A Oklahoma City after he cleared waivers, following his designation for assignment last week. This move keeps him within the Dodgers organization as a non-roster player.
Lipcius, who will turn 26 in May, was acquired by the Dodgers through a cash deal just three weeks ago. Previously with the Tigers, he was designated for assignment when the Tigers acquired Buddy Kennedy, leading to his trade to the Dodgers.
Known more for his hitting than power, Lipcius has played various positions in the infield and outfield. In the past three years in the minors, he has accumulated 1,487 plate appearances, hitting 36 home runs, walking at a rate of 13%, and striking out only 17.9% of the time. His batting line of .264/.360/.419 during this period suggests he’s been 10% better than the league average, as indicated by his wRC+ of 110. Although he briefly appeared in the majors with the Tigers last year, playing 13 games and recording 38 plate appearances with a .286/.342/.400 slash line.
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Despite his versatility and solid minor league performance, Lipcius found himself squeezed out of both the Tigers and Dodgers’ rosters due to roster constraints. However, no other team claimed him off waivers, indicating a league-wide roster crunch. Lipcius, having only a few weeks of service time and this being his first outright assignment, cannot reject the move to Triple-A and will aim to make his way back to the majors through Oklahoma City.
