Reggie Jefferson

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Reggie Jefferson

|position=Designated hitter / First baseman

|image=

|bats=Left

|throws=Left

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1968|9|25}}

|birth_place=Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=May 18

|debutyear=1991

|debutteam=Cincinnati Reds

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 3

|finalyear=1999

|finalteam=Boston Red Sox

|debut2league = NPB

|debut2date=April 1

|debut2year=2000

|debut2team=Seibu Lions

|final2league = NPB

|final2date=August 25

|final2year=2000

|final2team=Seibu Lions

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.300

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=72

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=300

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label=Batting average

|stat21value=.260

|stat22label=Home runs

|stat22value=10

|stat23label=Runs batted in

|stat23value=48

|teams=

Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|1991}})
Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|1991}}–{{mlby|1993}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|1994}})
Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1995}}–{{mlby|1999}})
Seibu Lions ({{by|2000}})

}}

Reginald "Reg" Jirod Jefferson (born September 25, 1968) is a former designated hitter who played for from 1991 to 1999 the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and the Boston Red Sox.

Playing career

Reggie attended Lincoln High School in Tallahassee; he was a three-sport star, lettering in baseball, basketball and football.

He was traded in the winter of 1993 by Cleveland to Seattle with Félix Fermín and cash for shortstop Omar Vizquel.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/omar-vizquel-s-trade-to-the-indians-happened-24-years-ago-c263590078|title=24 years ago, Omar Vizquel joined the Indians and began an 11-year odyssey of all-around brilliance|work=Cut4|publisher=MLB.com|first=Adrian|last=Garro|date=December 20, 2017|accessdate=August 3, 2024}} He also played one season in Japan for the Seibu Lions in 2000.

For the Red Sox in 1996, he hit for a batting average of .347 which would have been third highest in the league if not for falling short in at-bats needed and was given the nickname 'The Miracle' by faithful Red Sox fans. Unable to hit left-handed pitchers, he was left off the 1999 playoff roster as a result. Jefferson would never play major league baseball again.{{Cite web|url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/02_13_09_OT_worst_breakups?pg=12|title=The worst breakups in Red Sox history|publisher=Boston.com|accessdate=May 14, 2020}}

In 680 games over nine seasons, Jefferson posted a .300 batting average (637-for-2123) with 285 runs, 131 doubles, 11 triples, 72 home runs, 300 RBI, 146 bases on balls, .349 on-base percentage and .474 slugging percentage.

Post-playing career

Jefferson has also served as a player agent.{{cite web|url=http://www.alligator.org/sports/sfc/article_c7c0c7b6-a84b-5c1b-a870-fcf278f76ab1.html|title=SFC baseball player decides to go pro|first=Jessica|last=Etter|work=The Independent Florida Alligator|date=June 18, 2009|accessdate=May 14, 2020}} He was the hitting coach of the Albuquerque Isotopes in 2005 and the University of South Florida in 2006.