Lipcius Powers Through First Half of PCL Season
OKC Baseball Club infielder set career-high mark for home runs and ranked among PCL leaders in several offensive categories during first 75 games of 2024
While Andre Lipcius is not focused on specific numbers for his 2024 season, his statistics during the first half of the Pacific Coast League season certainly drew attention around the league.
Lipcius rocketed past his career-high mark for homers during the first half of the season, hitting 18 home runs in 70 games. He led OKC with 87 hits, 18 doubles and 58 RBI during the first half, while ranking second on the team in homers and runs scored (54) behind league-leading teammates Ryan Ward and Drew Avans, respectively, in those categories.
Lipcius led all PCL players with 163 total bases through the first 75 games of 2024. He also ranked tied for first in hits, ranked second in homers and SLG (.574), third in extra-base hits (38), fourth in OPS (.951), fifth in AVG (.306), tied for fifth in runs and sixth in RBI.
“Things are going great on my end,” Lipcius said during the first half. “A lot of things that we worked on in spring have been working out, so things are going well.”
Lipcius, 26, quickly settled in and made an impact in Oklahoma City following a volatile spring.
He opened 2024 Spring Training in Florida with the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers drafted him in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of Tennessee and he made his Major League debut with Detroit last season. But after four Spring Training games, he was designated for assignment in late February.
Lipcius was later traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in early March and joined the team in Arizona where he played in two Spring Training games, but was then designated for assignment March 16 and outrighted to Triple-A OKC March 23 where he began the 2024 regular season.
“It was kind of all crazy,” Lipcius said.
The Annapolis, Md., native has flourished in Oklahoma City.
Prior to this season, his career high for home runs in a season was 13, set at three levels over 117 games in 2023.
He hit two home runs in his first game with OKC March 30 in Tacoma, including hitting a homer in his first at-bat of the season. He went on to tie his career-high mark with his 13th home run May 21 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in just his 42nd game of the season.
On the final day of the first half June 23 against Albuquerque, he hit his 18th home run of 2024.
During the first half, Lipcius led OKC with nine games with three or more hits and five games with four or more RBI. He tied his career-high mark with six RBI June 8 against Round Rock, including a grand slam.
The 6-foot, 1-inch, 205-pound infielder closed the first half and began the second half on a nine-game hitting streak — his longest hitting streak since his first pro season in 2019.
“It’s been awesome here,” Lipcius said. “These guys, they care about you a lot and they help you any way they can…These guys know what they’re doing in terms of development, so that’s awesome. In that aspect, it’s been great.”
He made some adjustments in spring, which helped lead to his new career-high homers total.
“Just some body adjustments and using the ground better to produce a little more force,” Lipcius said. “It wasn’t huge adjustments, but it was enough to create better paths where I can lift the ball and it’s working out.”
His bat has cooled a bit to start the second half, but he still paces OKC with 97 hits in 81 games and is tied for first on the team with 63 RBI. He also ranks among top-five PCL leaders in homers (T-2nd, 19), total bases (3rd, 176), hits (4th, 97) and extra-base hits (5th, 39).
“Success is all relative I think,” Lipcius said. “Honestly, I think if you can keep your head on straight for (150 games) and just day in and day out, do what you do, I think things can fall your way. Especially if you continue to work hard.”
He got a taste of the big leagues last season with the Tigers, joining Detroit in September after spending the majority of the season with Triple-A Toledo. He made his ML debut Sept. 1 at the Chicago White Sox and went on to play in 13 Major League games.
“That was super cool being able to debut in Chicago — that’s where my mom’s from,” Lipcius said. “All my family came out and they were able to share that experience with me, so that was super cool. And that was an amazing experience being able to play up there.”
He collected his first ML hit — a home run off Mike Clevinger — in the first inning of his second career game Sept. 2 at the Chicago White Sox. Overall he had 10 hits and four RBI during his stint with the Tigers.
As the calendar has flipped to the second half of the 2024 PCL season, Lipcius has hit safely in five of his first six games of July and looks to build on his successful first half.
He hit his 19th home run of the season July 5. Where will his career-high mark for home runs top out in 2024?
“There is no number in mind,” Lipcius said. “Just keep doing what I’m doing.”
