Donny Sands

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Donny Sands

|image = Donny Sands (52833103846) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Sands with the Toledo Mud Hens in 2023

|team = Charros de Jalisco

|number = 2

|position = Catcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|5|16}}

|birth_place = Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = September 2

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = Philadelphia Phillies

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2022 season

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .000

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 0

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 0

|teams =

Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|2022}})

}}

Donny Sands (born May 16, 1996) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Charros de Jalisco of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Early life and career

Sands was born in Tucson, Arizona, and he lived there until he was in the third grade. His family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and he served as a batboy for the New Mexico Lobos, the college baseball team at the University of New Mexico. Sands, whose mother is of Mexican descent, also spent time in his youth living in Ciudad Obregón in Sonora, Mexico.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2023/02/once-a-god-awful-catcher-donny-sands-persistence-leads-him-to-brink-of-big-league-job.html | title=Once a 'god-awful' catcher, persistence has led new Tiger to brink of big-league job | date=February 27, 2023 }}

Sands' father, Roger, died of a heart attack in 2012. He moved with his mother, Alma, back to Tucson. After a year, Alma moved back to Mexico to find work, while Donny lived in her Toyota Camry and attended high school.{{cite web|last=Coffey |first=Alex |url=https://www.inquirer.com/phillies/phillies-donny-sands-homeless-2022-spring-training-20220324.html |title=Phillies' Donny Sands was once homeless. Now he's trying to win the backup catcher job |publisher=Inquirer.com |date=March 24, 2022 |accessdate=September 2, 2022}} He attended Empire High School for two years before he transferred to Salpointe Catholic High School. For Salpointe's baseball team, Sands had a .437 batting average and 58 runs batted in (RBIs) in 52 games played. As a pitcher, Sands had 58 strikeouts in {{frac|34|1|3}} innings pitched.{{cite web|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/621490/sands-makes-training-pay-off.html |title=Sands makes training pay off |first=Kevin|last=Hendricks|work=Albuquerque Journal|date=August 1, 2015 |access-date=October 6, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://tucson.com/sports/sands-hopes-to-get-drafted-honor-parents/article_1df46343-91fd-5f6e-92c8-3b2314e1f8a6.html|title=Sands hopes to get drafted, honor parents|first=Chuck |last=Constantino |work=Arizona Daily Star|date=June 8, 2015 |access-date=November 9, 2021}} Sands committed to attend the University of New Mexico.

Professional career

=New York Yankees=

The New York Yankees selected Sands in the eighth round, with the 243rd overall selection, of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft as a third baseman.{{cite web|url=https://tucson.com/sports/high-school/baseball/yankees-draft-salpointes-sands-mom-reacts-to-news/youtube_62fd40fd-f4a4-5928-9021-9c4b2fa56c25.html|title=Yankees draft Salpointe's Sands, mom reacts to news|first=Arizona Daily|last=Star|website=Arizona Daily Star|date=June 12, 2015 }} Sands signed with the Yankees, rather than attend college, receiving a $100,000 signing bonus, below the slot value for the pick. He made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Yankees of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (GCL). After his first season, the Yankees approached Sands about becoming a catcher, and he agreed.{{cite web| url = https://www.mlb.com/news/nyy-prospect-donny-sands-developing-as-catcher-c240570356| title = NYY prospect Donny Sands developing as catcher| website = MLB.com|date=July 5, 2017|first=Jon |last=Schwartz|accessdate=September 1, 2022}} In 2016, he committed 14 passed balls in 20 games in the GCL and with the Pulaski Yankees of the Rookie-level Appalachian League.

In 2017, Sands played for the Charleston RiverDogs of the Single–A South Atlantic League{{cite web|url=https://tucson.com/former-salpointe-stars-donny-sands-jio-orozco-back-together/article_b1bf9b7a-1c9b-11e7-adab-2711cbac28c4.html|title=Former Salpointe stars Donny Sands, Jio Orozco back together|first=Greg|last=Hansen|website=Arizona Daily Star|date=April 8, 2017 }} and the Tampa Yankees of the High–A Florida State League. In 93 games, he had 25 passed balls. He committed eight passed balls in 2018, and played in the Arizona Fall League after the 2019 regular season. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 shutdown, and Sands worked on his defense independently.

File:Donny Sands (52802964861).jpg

Sands began the 2021 season with the Somerset Patriots of the Double–A Eastern League, and was promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the Triple–A International League during the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/sports/railriders/railriders-sands-surging-after-swing-change/article_17961b47-e457-56fa-a12a-f46677de40bf.html|title=RailRiders' Sands surging after swing change|first=Conor|last=Foley|work=Scranton Times-Tribune|date=September 24, 2021 |access-date=November 9, 2021}} With the RailRiders, Sands batted .272 and had one passed ball in 42 games. The Yankees added Sands to their 40-man roster to protect him from being exposed to the Rule 5 draft after the season.{{cite web|last=Morales |first=Andy |url=http://allsportstucson.com/2021/11/07/former-lancer-donny-sands-called-up-to-the-yankees/ |title=Former Lancer Donny Sands called up to the Yankees |publisher=Allsportstucson.Com |date=November 7, 2021 |accessdate=September 2, 2022}}

=Philadelphia Phillies=

On November 19, 2021, the Yankees traded Sands and Nick Nelson to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for T. J. Rumfield and Joel Valdez.{{cite tweet|number=1461835434657525760|user=Yankees|title=The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor leaguers INF T.J. Rumfield and LHP Joel Valdez f…|date=November 19, 2021}} The Phillies assigned Sands to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 2022.{{cite web|last=Hixson |first=Chuck |url=https://www.tnonline.com/20220524/a-look-at-catching-in-the-phils-organization/ |title=A look at catching in the Phils' organization – Times News Online |publisher=Tnonline.com |date=May 24, 2022 |accessdate=September 2, 2022}} He was recalled to the majors on September 1 as a September addition.{{cite web |date=September 1, 2022 |title=Phillies promote catcher Donny Sands from Triple-A Lehigh Valley |url=https://thatballsouttahere.com/2022/09/01/phillies-catcher-donny-sands/ |access-date=September 1, 2022 |website=That Balls Outta Here |language=en-US}} He played in 3 games for the Phillies, with 4 four plate appearances and 1 walk."[https://www.mlb.com/player/donny-sands-664848?stats=career-r-hitting-mlb&year=2023 Donny Sands, Career Stats]". MLB.com. Retrieved July 9, 2023

=Detroit Tigers=

On January 7, 2023, the Phillies traded Sands, Matt Vierling, and Nick Maton to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens.{{Cite web |last=Richter |first=Erich |date=January 7, 2023 |title=Phillies acquire stud closer Gregory Soto from Tigers |url=https://nypost.com/2023/01/07/phillies-acquire-stud-closer-gregory-soto-from-tigers/ |access-date=January 7, 2023 |website=New York Post}} The Tigers optioned him to the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens for the start of the 2023 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2023/03/24/detroit-tigers-will-vest-triple-a-toledo-spring-training-roster-cuts/70046211007/|title=Detroit Tigers option Will Vest to Triple-A Toledo, send Andy Ibañez to minor-league camp|first=Evan |last=Petzold|work=Detroit Free Press|date=March 24, 2023|accessdate=March 25, 2023}} In 93 games split between Toledo and the Double–A Erie SeaWolves, he batted .230/.318/.360 with six home runs and 40 RBIs. After the season on December 22, 2023, Sands was designated for assignment by the Tigers.{{Cite web|title=Tigers' Donny Sands: DFA'd by Tigers|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/tigers-donny-sands-dfad-by-tigers/|access-date=December 22, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=December 22, 2023 |language=en}} On January 5, 2024, Sands cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Toledo.{{cite web | url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2024/01/05/tigers-outright-catcher-donny-sands-to-triple-a-toledo-after-he-cleared-waivers/72122813007/ | title=Tigers outright catcher Donny Sands to Triple-A Toledo after he cleared waivers }} He was released by the Tigers organization on March 26.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/tigers-release-donny-sands.html | title=Tigers Release Donny Sands | date=March 26, 2024 }}

=Toros de Tijuana=

On April 11, 2024, Sands signed with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League. In 16 games, Sands batted .245/.339/.490 with four home runs and 13 RBI.

=San Francisco Giants=

On May 10, 2024, Sands had his contract purchased by the San Francisco Giants organization.{{Cite tweet|user=TorosDeTijuana|number=1789101802140684616|title=🚨 Movimientos en el roster. El C Donny Sands ha sido firmado por los @SFGiants.|date=May 10, 2024|language=ES|access-date=May 11, 2024}} In 13 games for the Triple–A Sacramento River Cats, he hit .177/.250/.196 with no home runs and five RBI. Sands was released by the Giants on June 9.{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/transactions/2024-06-09 | title=Transactions }}

=Toros de Tijuana (second stint)=

On June 12, 2024, Sands re–signed with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League.{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 12 de junio de 2024|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-12-de-junio-de-2024|access-date=June 13, 2024|website=milb.com|language=en}} In 37 appearances for Tijuana, he slashed .292/.384/.492 with seven home runs, 25 RBI, and one stolen base. Sands was released by the Toros on March 24, 2025.{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 24 de marzo de 2025|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-24-de-marzo-de-2025|access-date=March 25, 2025|website=milb.com|language=en}}

=Charros de Jalisco=

On April 8, 2025, Sands signed with the Charros de Jalisco of the Mexican League.{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 8 de abril de 2025|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-8-de-abril-de-2025|access-date=April 9, 2025|website=milb.com|language=en}}