COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Three-year Aggie letterwinner and 11-year Major League veteran Cliff Pennington joined the Texas A&M Baseball staff as a student assistant coach, head coach Rob Childress announced Wednesday.
“I couldn’t be more proud to have Cliff want to come back after an 11-year big league career and join our staff,” Childress said. “He is going to be a tremendous asset for us as a teacher. From being an All-American player here at Texas A&M to playing over a decade in the big leagues, Cliff has so much knowledge to offer the players as well as our coaching staff. I know the impact he is going to have on our team over the next year will be priceless.”
Pennington returns to Texas A&M where he lettered from 2003-05, earning All-Big 12 honors all three seasons, as well as being named an All-American in 2005.
“I’m extremely excited to return to my alma mater and work under Coach Childress and his staff,” Pennington said. “I really appreciate this opportunity he has given me. I can’t wait to get back and help the team make some Olsen Magic.”
Pennington ranks in the top 10 on the Aggies’ career lists for hits (246), triples (10) and stolen bases (53). He posted a .346 career batting average in 182 games in the Maroon & White.
As a junior in 2005, Pennington hit .363 with 44 runs, 13 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 39 RBI and 29 stolen bases. Baseball America named him to the All-America Third Team as a shortstop and he earned All-Big 12 First Team distinction.
Following his junior campaign, the Oakland Athletics selected Pennington in the first round of the 2005 MLB Draft with the 21st overall pick.
In 2004, he hit .339 with 60 runs, seven doubles, four triples, five home runs, 35 RBI and 12 steals in 63 games and was tabbed All-Big 12 Second Team.
As a freshman, Pennington batted .340 with 54 runs, 14 doubles, two triples, two home runs 41 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 63 games. He was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and earned All-Big 12 Second Team recognition.
Pennington played for five teams during his MLB career from 2008-18. He made his Major League debut with the Oakland on August 12, 2008 and played five seasons with the A’s. He also saw time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds.
The Corpus Christi, Texas, native finished his MLB career with 971 games, 678 hits, 121 doubles, 21 triples, 36 home runs, 242 RBI and 84 stolen bases.
Pennington’s finest seasons came between 2010 and 2012. In 2010, he played 156 games, logging 64 runs, 26 doubles, eight triples, six home runs, 46 RBI and 29 stolen bases. The next year, he batted .264 with 26 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 58 RBI and 14 steals. Pennington holds the distinction of being the first position player to pitch in an MLB playoff game, flashing a 91-mph fastball and 79-mph curveball in a relief stint for the Blue Jays in an American League Championship Series game against the Kansas City Royals in 2015.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics