| Matt Lipka | |
| Team: | Free agent |
| Position: | Center fielder / Shortstop |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Birth Date: | 15 April 1992 |
| Birth Place: | Snellville, Georgia |
Matthew F. Lipka (born April 15, 1992) is a professional baseball player who is a free agent. He was drafted in the first round of the 2010 draft by the Atlanta Braves.
Lipka attended McKinney High School in McKinney, Texas.[1] The Atlanta Braves selected Lipka in the first round (35th overall) of the 2010 MLB Draft. In 2011, the Braves had Lipka shift to center field.[2]
Lipka played for the Lynchburg Hillcats of the High–A Carolina League in 2013,[3] and the Mississippi Braves of the Double–A Southern League in 2014. He returned to Mississippi to start the 2015 season.[4] Lipka was reassigned to Mississippi to begin 2016.[5] By mid-June, he had been promoted to Gwinnett.[6] He finished 2016 with a .243 batting average and 3 homers.[7] Lipka elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2016.[8]
On December 16, 2016, Lipka signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers.[9] He split the season between the advanced Single-A Down East Wood Ducks, Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and Triple-A Round Rock Express.[10] In 117 games between the three affiliates, Lipka batted .241/.306/.376 with 9 home runs, 50 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2017.[11]
On January 29, 2018, Lipka signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants organization.[12] He played in 123 games for the Double–A Richmond Flying Squirrels, hitting .240/.329/.352 with four home runs, 30 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Lipka elected free agency following the season on November 2.[13]
On January 11, 2019, Lipka signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees.[14] He received a non-roster invitation to spring training.[15] He split the season between the Double-A Trenton Thunder and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. On June 6, 2019, in a game against the Hartford Yard Goats, Lipka broke up a combined no-hitter in the top of the ninth inning with a bunt single off of Rico Garcia. The bunt caused a near fight after the game and resulted in Lipka getting death threats for the unpopular move.[16] Lipka hit .262/.316/.388 in 89 games between the two affiliates in 2019 and became a free agent after the season.
On February 29, 2020, Lipka signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[17] Lipka was not selected for the Dodgers player pool for the year, and did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] On November 2, 2020, Lipka elected free agency.
On May 3, 2021, Lipka signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.[19] In 33 games between the Triple-A Reno Aces and the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles, Lipka slashed a cumulative .303/.364/.454 with 2 home runs and 24 RBI.
On June 28, 2021, Lipka was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for cash considerations.[20] Lipka appeared in 70 games with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds to round out the year, hitting .285/.346/.446 with 9 home runs and 32 RBI. He elected free agency following the season on November 7.[21]
On March 16, 2022, Lipka signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals.[22]
On July 16, 2022, Lipka was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations. He became a free agent after the season.