Gift Ngoepe, baseball player, 2017-2018

Gift Ngoepe

Born: 1/18/1990 in Pietersburg, Limpopo, South Africa

MLB Debut: 2017-04-26 | Final Game: 2018-05-01

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'8" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Mpho' Gift Ngoepe

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Biography

Gift Ngoepe, born in 1990, was a professional baseball player who made history during his brief career in Major League Baseball (MLB) from April 26, 2017, to May 1, 2018. As a position player, he became notable for being the first player from South Africa to reach the major leagues, a significant milestone in the global expansion of baseball. Ngoepe played a total of 41 games in the MLB, showcasing his skills primarily as an infielder. Throughout his career, Ngoepe recorded 13 hits and 6 RBIs, finishing with a batting average of .181. While he did not hit any home runs or steal any bases during his time in the league, his presence on the field and his journey from South Africa to the MLB inspired many aspiring athletes in his home country and beyond. Ngoepe's career, though short-lived, contributed to the growing narrative of baseball's international reach and the increasing diversity within the sport during the late 2010s.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
41 72 12 13 2 1 0 6 0 9 38 0.181 0.272 0.236 0.508 -146.2

Career AVG .181 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — 28.2% below league average.

Career OBP .272 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — 15.5% below league average.

Career SLG .236 vs. league average .418 across their career seasons — 43.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.508 vs. league average 0.739 across their career seasons — 31.3% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2017 PIT NL 28 54 10 12 2 1 0 6 0 8 26 0.222 .254 (-13%) .324 (-1%) .425 (-30%) .750 (-18%) -146.2
2018 TOR AL 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 12 0.056 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 25 14 30 42 0 10
3B 4 1 0 2 0 0
SS 12 4 11 17 0 6

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2017 PIT 2B 20 10 27 37 0 9
2017 PIT 3B 3 1 0 1 0 0
2017 PIT SS 6 2 6 6 0 1
2018 TOR 2B 5 4 3 5 0 1
2018 TOR 3B 1 0 0 1 0 0
2018 TOR SS 6 2 5 11 0 5

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 25
Third Base 4
Shortstop 12
Designated Hitter 1