Baseball playerBroadcasterAfrican AmericanMajor League Baseball

Chris Singleton (baseball)

Chris Singleton is an American former professional baseball outfielder and prominent sportscaster who played in MLB from 1999 to 2005 and is also an ordained minister.

1. Overview

Christopher Verdell Singleton (born August 15, 1972), commonly known as Chris Singleton, is an American former professional baseball outfielder and a prominent sportscaster. He played for six seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1999 to 2005, primarily as a center fielder. His playing career included stints with the Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Following his retirement from playing, Singleton transitioned into a successful broadcasting career, working with various major sports media outlets such as ESPN and Bally Sports Wisconsin. He is also an ordained minister.

2. Early Life and Amateur Career

Chris Singleton was born on August 15, 1972. In the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft, he was initially selected by the Houston Astros in the 30th round as the 790th overall pick. However, Singleton chose not to sign with the Astros and instead opted to attend the University of Nevada. Over the next three years, his performance significantly improved, leading to a higher draft position. Consequently, in the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft, the San Francisco Giants selected him in the 2nd round, as the 48th overall pick, marking a significant advancement in his draft standing.

3. Professional Baseball Career

Chris Singleton played in Major League Baseball for six seasons, spanning from 1999 to 2005. During his playing career, his listed physical measurements were 6 ft 2 in tall and 210 lb (210 lb) in weight. He was a left-handed batter and thrower. He primarily played as a center fielder for various teams including the Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Throughout his career, Singleton trained at EVO Ultrafit in Phoenix, Arizona.

3.1. Major League Debut and Performance

Singleton made his Major League Baseball debut in 1999 with the Chicago White Sox. In his debut season, he had a batting average of .300, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 74 RBI. A notable highlight of his 1999 season occurred on July 6, when he successfully hit for the cycle, a rare achievement in baseball. This made him the first Chicago White Sox player to hit for the cycle in 15 years. Following his impressive rookie year, his power numbers experienced a significant decline in subsequent seasons.

3.2. Team Transfers and Career Challenges

Chris Singleton's professional career involved several team transfers and faced some challenges. On November 11, 1997, before his MLB debut, he was traded by the San Francisco Giants along with pitcher Alberto Castillo to the New York Yankees in exchange for Charlie Hayes and cash considerations. On December 8, 1998, the Yankees then dealt him to the Chicago White Sox for minor league player Rich Pratt.

After his initial seasons with the White Sox, he was traded again on January 29, 2002, this time to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Willie Harris. Singleton later signed a contract to play with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 2004 season. However, this contract was ultimately voided because he failed a physical exam. The team stated that the failure was due to a pre-existing ear condition, which had initially been misdiagnosed as a simple infection but was later determined to be more serious. On January 21, 2005, Singleton signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His time with the Devil Rays was brief, as he was released on July 4 of the same year after accumulating only 59 at-bats.

4. Broadcasting Career

After concluding his playing career, Chris Singleton transitioned into sports broadcasting, becoming a well-known voice and analyst in baseball. For the 2006 and 2007 seasons, he served as the color commentator for Chicago White Sox radio broadcasts, working alongside play-by-play announcer and former major league pitcher Ed Farmer.

On March 4, 2008, it was announced that Singleton would be leaving his radio position to take on an analyst role with the ESPN television program Baseball Tonight. He was succeeded on White Sox radio by former Chicago Cubs television broadcaster Steve Stone. From 2011 to 2021, Singleton was also the lead game analyst for ESPN Radio's extensive baseball coverage. In this role, he teamed with play-by-play announcers Dan Shulman and Jon Sciambi to call major events, including Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts, the All-Star Game, and various postseason broadcasts for the network. In 2021, he expanded his broadcasting work by joining Bally Sports Wisconsin as a part-time analyst for Milwaukee Brewers telecasts.

5. Personal Life

Chris Singleton is not related to fellow former MLB player Ken Singleton, despite often being mistaken for Ken's son during his playing career. When Chris Singleton played for the Baltimore Orioles, he chose to wear jersey number 29, which was the same number Ken Singleton had worn during his own career as an Oriole. In addition to his sports career, Chris Singleton is an ordained minister.