Ex-MLB outfielder Brett Phillips makes ‘electric’ pitching debut in NBC World Series

After playing 13 years in professional baseball as an outfielder, Brett Phillips began the first leg of a comeback tour to return to the majors — as a pitcher — in Wichita on Monday evening.

Since being released by the Chicago White Sox in May, the 30-year-old has been working with a pitching coach in Texas to capitalize on his best asset, his right arm, in a different way.

On Monday, Phillips made his first start on the mound since his little league days in Seminole, Florida, for the GPS (Texas) Legends in a 9-3 victory over the Seattle Blackfins in the National Baseball Congress World Series at Eck Stadium.

It took about the same amount of time it required Phillips to strike out the side in the top of the first inning, as he routinely hit 97 mph on the radar with his fastball, as it did for his pitching debut to go viral on social media.

“Honestly, it felt like I was playing in the big leagues,” Phillips told The Eagle following his pitching debut. “Just because of how new (pitching) is to me, that’s how it felt emotions-wise. I’m excited to see where this takes me, but it was a great first step.”

Because Phillips was not listed on the roster for GPS Legends, which features primarily college-aged players from Texas, few in attendance on Monday even realized who they were watching.

When clips of him touching 97 mph on the mound started to circulate online, baseball fans wondered two things:

First, is this the same Brett Phillips who was a World Series hero? And second, is he serious with pitching?

The latter is a fair question considering Phillips was also known for a comical wind-up and lobbing 45 mph pitches across the plate at the end of blowouts when the Rays didn’t want to waste the arm of a pitcher. He made five major league appearances on the mound with a career earned-run average of 15.19.

Back then, Phillips was in on the joke. But his transition to full-time pitcher is no joke, which he proved Monday with an electric fastball and a sharp breaking ball he used to strike out the third batter.

It turns out the performance was enough for the New York Yankees to sign Phillips on Tuesday, less than 12 hours following his time in Wichita, to a minor-league contract. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Phillips will report to the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons.

“This wasn’t something where I got ready in a week for this,” Phillips said. “I’ve put in a lot of good work. This has been a thought-out process and something I really want to pursue and I feel like I can still make a difference at the big-league level.”

Even the Legends were a bit skeptical when they reached out to Chicago White Sox director of personnel Gene Watson, who lives in Texas, for pitching suggestions for the NBC World Series and were told Phillips was interested.

“Not someone who is messing around,” Phillips recounted hearing about their initial reaction to the idea. “We need someone who is an actual pitcher.”

Dispelling the notion that his pitching was a novelty act was exactly the goal for Phillips on Monday. After doing their own due diligence, the Legends were more than happy to offer that opportunity in a summer-baseball tournament against mostly college-aged competition.

Phillips raved about his time in Wichita, including a host dinner sponsored by local businessman Doug Lampton, and the first-class nature of the Legends organization. While Phillips was just grateful for the opportunity, he turned everyone who watched him throw 12 fastballs and three breaking balls into a believer in his comeback on Monday.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to make that journey all the way back to where he wants to be,” Legends coach Daryl Reeves said. “And when he does, the GPS Legends are going to be there in full force behind him. He’s got some guys who will definitely give him a hard time and let him know that we’re there. We’ve built such a great relationship with him through baseball. What a great sport and a great opportunity we had because of this sport.”

“If you look at pitchers in professional baseball today, most of them are electric,” Phillips added. “If you’re not throwing from a different angle like myself, who is right over the top, you better have something to feature. (Velocity) definitely in the back of my mind. If you want to pitch in the big leagues, you have to be up there velocity-wise and just go out there and have fun and attack the zone.”

While Phillips made his NBC debut in a predetermined one inning of work on Monday, he has actually been with the team in Wichita since its first game in the tournament this past Friday. The Legends finished 1-2 in pool play and advanced to Wednesday’s single-elimination bracket.

After spending the past decade in major-league clubhouses, Phillips genuinely enjoyed the change in atmosphere to being around college-aged players still chasing their dreams. And yes, he was asked to relive his famous walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Tampa Bay Rays to a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the 2020 World Series, as he became the first player since Kirk Gibson in 1988 to have a walk-off hit with two outs and his team trailing in the World Series.

“Honestly, it was more rewarding for me to be able to pour into those guys,” Phillips said. “It was exciting to have that opportunity to talk with kids who are in college and they’re pursuing their dream. They asked a lot of questions, which I enjoyed. And just seeing the passion that they have for the game and being around that, it encourages me to see that in this next generation coming up. I know it meant more to me than it did for them.”

After his short stint in Wichita, Phillips will be on the move to Tampa soon. He hopes his pitching will turn more heads there with the dream of returning to MLB once again.

Regardless of how the future shakes out, Phillips will always remember Wichita as the place where his comeback officially began.

“This would be one heck of a story,” Phillips said.

Monday’s NBC World Series scores

Tulsa Sandlot 4, TPA Texas 0

Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters 12, Haysville Aviators 6

Seattle Studs 17, Hutchinson Monarchs 6 (5 innings)

GPS Legends 9, Seattle Blackfins 3

Tuesday’s NBC World Series schedule

10 a.m.: San Diego Stars (1-1) vs. Derby Twins (2-0)

1 p.m.: Air Capital Flyers (0-2) vs. Kansas Cannons (0-2)

6: Lonestar Baseball Club (2-0) vs. Hays Larks (2-0)

8:30: Boulder Collegians (0-2) vs. Liberal Bee Jays (1-1)

Updated NBC World Series pool play standings

Pool A: Seattle Studs 3-0; Tulsa Sandlot 2-1; Hutchinson Monarchs 1-2; TPA Texas 0-3 (eliminated).

Pool B: Santa Barbara Foresters 3-0; Haysville Aviators 2-1; GPS Legends 1-2; Seattle Blackfins 0-3 (eliminated).

Pool C: Derby Twins 2-0; Liberal Bee Jays 1-1; San Diego Stars 1-1; Boulder (Colo.) Collegians 0-2.

Pool D: Lonestar (Texas) Baseball Club 2-0; Hays Larks 2-0; Kansas Cannons 0-2; Air Capital Flyers 0-2.