Duke Ellis

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Duke Ellis

|image = Duke Ellis (bcEXLeTjdPs).png

|caption = Ellis with the Winston-Salem Dash in 2022

|team = New York Yankees

|number =

|position = Outfielder

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|1|16}}

|birth_place = Nacogdoches, Texas, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = June 4

|debutyear = 2024

|debutteam = Chicago White Sox

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2024 season

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .200

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 0

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 0

|stat4label = Stolen bases

|stat4value = 5

|teams =

Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2024}})
New York Yankees ({{mlby|2024}})

}}

Robert Duke Ellis (born January 16, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the New York Yankees organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox.

Amateur career

Ellis graduated from Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Merkin |first=Scott |date=June 15, 2024 |title=Both drafted by White Sox, Duke Ellis fulfills dad's unachieved goal |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/duke-ellis-love-of-baseball-fostered-by-father-robert-ellis |access-date=September 7, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} He enrolled at Panola College for his freshman year and began his college baseball career. After one year at Panola, the San Diego Padres selected Ellis in the 20th round, with the 588th overall selection, of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. Ellis transferred to the University of Texas at Austin to play for the Texas Longhorns.{{Cite web |last=GORE |first=KEVIN |date=July 11, 2017 |title=Duke Ellis signs with Texas |url=https://www.dailysentinel.com/sports/duke-ellis-signs-with-texas/article_e5304264-66b2-11e7-a084-83e20097c3ee.html |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=The Daily Sentinel |language=en}} In 2019, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps and Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1392270&seasonid=31871 |title=#4 Duke Ellis - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=May 18, 2024}}

Professional career

=Chicago White Sox=

Ellis was not selected in the 2020 MLB Draft and signed with the Chicago White Sox as an undrafted free agent on June 19, 2020.{{Cite web|title=Baseball's Ellis signs free agent contract with White Sox|url=https://texassports.com/news/2020/6/21/baseballs-ellis-signs-free-agent-contract-with-white-sox|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=texassports.com|language=en}} He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

Ellis made his professional debut in 2021 with the High–A Winston-Salem Dash, playing in 73 games and hitting .200/.274/.277 with four home runs, 18 RBI, and 23 stolen bases.{{Cite web|title=Duke Ellis - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/robert-ellis/sa3014816/stats?position=OF|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}} He spent the 2022 season back with Winston-Salem, and received a late–season cup of coffee with the Double–A Birmingham Barons. In 100 games for the Dash, Ellis hit .273/.360/.390 with career–highs in home runs (7), RBI (27), and stolen bases (50).{{Cite web|title=Duke Ellis - Baseball Stats|url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/209999/|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=thebaseballcube.com|language=en}}

Ellis played in only 16 games for Double–A Birmingham in 2023 due to injury troubles, and hit .157 with four RBI.{{Cite web|title=2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 84: Duke Ellis|url=https://www.southsidesox.com/2024/1/8/24030405/south-side-sox-top-prospect-no-84-duke-ellis-chicago-white-sox-birmingham-barons-university-of-texas|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=southsidesox.com|language=en}} He began the 2024 campaign with Birmingham, batting .258/.341/.308 with one home run, 12 RBI, and 34 stolen bases across 39 appearances.{{Cite web|title=White Sox's Duke Ellis: Will be called up Tuesday|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-duke-ellis-will-be-called-up-tuesday/amp/|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

On June 4, 2024, Ellis was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|title=White Sox Designate Zach Remillard, Select Duke Ellis|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/white-sox-designate-zach-remillard-select-duke-ellis.html|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He made his Major League debut that day, in a game against the Chicago Cubs. In the ninth inning, he entered the game as a pinch runner, replacing Oscar Colás. On the next pitch, he earned his first career stolen base with a steal of second. However, he would end up being picked-off at second base by the Cubs’ pitcher, Héctor Neris. {{Cite web |title=Sox prospect Ellis' MLB debut features steal, hard lessons on basepaths |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/duke-ellis-steals-a-base-in-mlb-debut-with-white-sox |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} In eight games for Chicago, he went 0–for–4 with four stolen bases. Ellis was designated for assignment by the White Sox on June 16.{{Cite web|title=White Sox Select Chuckie Robinson|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/white-sox-select-chuckie-robinson.html|access-date=June 16, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

=New York Mets=

On June 21, 2024, Ellis was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.{{Cite web|title=Mets Claim Duke Ellis From White Sox|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/mets-claim-duke-ellis-from-white-sox.html|access-date=June 21, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He played in two games for the Double–A Binghamton Rumble Ponies prior to being designated for assignment on June 30.{{Cite web|title=Mets Select Matt Festa, Tyler Jay; Designate Duke Ellis|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/mets-select-matt-festa-tyler-jay-designate-duke-ellis.html|access-date=June 30, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

=Seattle Mariners=

On July 4, 2024, Ellis was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners.{{Cite web|title=Mariners Claim Duke Ellis From Mets|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/mariners-claim-duke-ellis-from-mets.html|access-date=July 4, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} In 32 games for the Triple–A Tacoma Rainiers, he hit .212/.291/.385 with four home runs, 20 RBI, and 17 stolen bases. Ellis was designated for assignment on August 23.{{Cite web|title=Mariners Claim Terrin Vavra, Designate Duke Ellis|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/mariners-claim-terrin-vavra-designate-duke-ellis.html|access-date=August 23, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

=New York Yankees=

On August 26, 2024, Ellis was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees.{{Cite web|title=Yankees Claim Duke Ellis|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/yankees-claim-duke-ellis.html|access-date=August 27, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} On September 4, against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, he recorded his first major league hit, a single to left field.{{Cite web |last=Davison |first=Drew |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Yanks know 'we need to be better than this' right now |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/juan-soto-homers-but-yankees-late-rally-falls-short |access-date=September 7, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} In 3 total games for the Yankees, he went 1–for–1 with a stolen base. On November 4, Ellis was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.{{Cite web|title=Yankees Outright Duke Ellis|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/yankees-outright-duke-ellis.html|access-date=November 8, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

Personal life

Ellis' father Robert, pitched in Major League Baseball from 1996 to 2003.{{Cite web|title=South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 37: Duke Ellis|url=https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/3/24/23655934/south-side-sox-white-sox-top-prospect-no-37-duke-ellis|access-date=June 4, 2024|website=southsidesox.com|language=en}}