Dennis Powell
PositionPitcher
BatsRight
ThrowsLeft
Birth dateAugust 13, 1963 (age 63)
Birth placeMoultrie, Georgia, U.S.
DebutleagueMLB
DebutdateJuly 7
Debutyear1985
DebutteamLos Angeles Dodgers
Debut2leagueNPB
Debut2dateApril 2
Debut2year1995
Debut2teamKintetsu Buffaloes
FinalleagueMLB
FinaldateAugust 11
Finalyear1993
FinalteamSeattle Mariners
Final2leagueNPB
Final2dateOctober 6
Final2year1995
Final2teamKintetsu Buffaloes
StatleagueMLB
Stat1labelWin–loss record
Stat1value11–22
Stat2labelEarned run average
Stat2value4.95
Stat3labelStrikeouts
Stat3value199
Stat2leagueNPB
Stat21labelWin–loss record
Stat21value2–7
Stat22labelEarned run average
Stat22value3.67
Stat23labelStrikeouts
Stat23value54
Teams

Dennis Clay Powell (born August 13, 1963) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, and Milwaukee Brewers, in all or parts of eight seasons (–). Powell also pitched for the Kintetsu Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball in .

Powell was undrafted and unrecruited out of Colquitt County High School and, after graduating, got a job on an ice truck to help support his mother and three brothers while playing semi-pro baseball in Albany, Georgia, where he won 20 consecutive games. It was not until his second season that he attracted the attention of scouts and was given a signing bonus of $3,000 to join the Los Angeles Dodgers (); he had been making $150 per week on the ice truck ().[1][2] He led the Gulf Coast League in strikeouts and shutouts in 1983.

Powell made his MLB debut in 1985. He had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow in May 1986.[2] The Dodgers traded him and Mike Watters to Seattle for pitcher Matt Young after the season.[3] In his first stint with the Mariners, he split time between the majors and minors and was released in May 1990, quickly signing a minor league contract with the Brewers. He signed with the Baltimore Orioles before the 1991 season but was released after spring training and returned to the Mariners organization, though he did not return to the majors until 1992.[2]

As a big league hitter, Powell had three hits, all doubles, in 17 at bats (since he played mostly in the American League, during the designated hitter era), for a .176 batting average. Powell’s three doubles ties him with Earl Hersh and Verdo Elmore for the most hits in a major league career in which all the player’s hits were doubles.[4]

Personal life

One of Powell's brothers and a nephew died in a car accident in April 1989 in Georgia. Two other brothers died in a car accident only a few months later in January 1990 on U.S. Route 319 in Georgia.[5]

Powell is married and has a child.[2]

References

  1. ^ Bowers, Harley (18 September 1985). "Still some secrets". The Macon Telegraph. p. 1D. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  2. ^ Seattle Mariners 1993 Media Guide. pp. 77,78.
  3. ^ Friend, Tom (11 December 1986). "Brock Gets Wish; Dodgers Get Young L.A. Sends First Baseman to Brewers for Leary; Powell to Seattle". Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  4. ^ "MLB Players With 3 Career Doubles And Zero Singles". StatMuse. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  5. ^ "Mariners reliever Powell gets tragic news from Georgia home". The Atlanta Constitution. 24 January 1990. p. 70. Retrieved 28 June 2023.