Liam Spence

{{Short description|Australian baseball player (born 1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name = Liam Spence | team = Savannah Firefighters | number = 15 | image = Liam Spence 2024 WBSC Premier12 Team Australia vs 日本通運府中市民球場 2024年11月8日の東京都 202411081257 DSCN6910.jpg | width = | caption = Spence with the Team Australia in 2024 | position = Infielder | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|4|9|df=y}} | birth_place = Geelong, Victoria, Australia | bats = Right | throws = Right }} '''Liam John Spence''' (born 9 April 1998) is an Australian professional baseball infielder for the Firefighters in the Banana Ball exhibition league. Spence is a member of the Australia national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

==Career== Spence graduated from St. Joseph's College in Geelong, Victoria.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/sport/local-sport/liam-spence-selected-by-chicago-cubs-in-major-league-baseball-draft/news-story/efae1945b967be64f557ad3550e2dd9c | title=Subscribe to the Geelong Advertiser }}</ref> He then attended Central Arizona College, where he played college baseball for two years, before he transferred to the University of Tennessee to play for the Tennessee Volunteers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/geelongtimes/sport/former-geelong-baseballer-selected-to-the-chicago-cubs/|title=Former Geelong baseballer selected to the Chicago Cubs|first=Vinnie van|last=Oorschot|date=21 July 2021|website=Geelong Times}}</ref> In 2021, he was a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2021-brooks-wallace-award-finalists-announced|title=2021 Brooks Wallace Award finalists announced|website=MLB.com}}</ref>

===Chicago Cubs=== The Chicago Cubs drafted Spence in the fifth round, with the 154th overall selection, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2021/07/12/liam-spence-mlb-draft-2021-chicago-cubs-tennessee-baseball/7876932002/ |title=Chicago Cubs pick Tennessee baseball shortstop Liam Spence in MLB Draft |publisher=Knoxnews.com |date= |accessdate=9 March 2023}}</ref> He spent his first professional season with the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Cubs, High–A South Bend Cubs, and Triple–A Iowa Cubs. In 20 total games, he combined for a .175/.243/.175 batting line with six RBI and one stolen base.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wbtw.com/sports/pelicans-liam-spence-breaks-baseball-barriers/ |title=Pelicans' Liam Spence breaks baseball barriers |publisher=WBTW |date=13 May 2022 |accessdate=9 March 2023}}</ref>

Spence split the 2022 campaign between the ACL Cubs and Single–A Myrtle Beach Pelicans. In 62 combined contests, he batted .192/.318/.305 with four home runs and 29 RBI.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Liam Spence - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/liam-spence/sa3017289/stats?position=2B/SS|access-date=19 May 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}</ref> Spence returned to High–A South Bend in 2023, playing in 36 games and hitting .214/.346/.303 with one home run, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Liam Spence Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/18036-liam-spence/|access-date=19 May 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}</ref>

On 29 March 2024, Spence was released by the Cubs organization.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/iowa/roster/transactions/chicago-cubs | title=Transactions }}</ref>

===Sioux Falls Canaries=== On 2 May 2024, Spence signed with the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association of Professional Baseball.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2024 Transactions|url=https://aabaseball.com/2024-transactions/|access-date=2 May 2024|website=aabaseball.com|language=en}}</ref> In 79 appearances for Sioux Falls, he batted .239/.365/.337 with five home runs, 34 RBI, and nine stolen bases.

=== Firefighters === In 2025 Spence signed to play with The Firefighters in the Banana Ball exhibition baseball league. His signature trick plays have included kicking the ball instead of throwing it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Mike |title=How Liam Spence went from Tennessee baseball to Savannah Bananas universe |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2025/07/10/liam-spence-firefighters-savannah-bananas-tennessee-baseball/84195463007/ |access-date=21 August 2025 |website=Knoxville News Sentinel |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life== Liam's two older brothers, Josh and Nic, played baseball for Central Arizona. Josh also played for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2021/06/21/tennessee-baseball-college-world-series-liam-spence/7764965002/ |title=Liam Spence's brother watching Tennessee in CWS from Australia |publisher=Knoxnews.com |date= |accessdate=9 March 2023}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Liam Spence}} {{baseballstats|brm=spence000lia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spence, Liam}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Adelaide Giants players Category:Arizona Complex League Cubs players Category:Australian expatriate baseball players in the United States Category:Central Arizona Vaqueros baseball players Category:Iowa Cubs players Category:Myrtle Beach Pelicans players Category:Sioux Falls Canaries players Category:South Bend Cubs players Category:Sportsmen from Victoria (state) Category:Sportspeople from Geelong Category:Tennessee Volunteers baseball players Category:2023 World Baseball Classic players Category:2024 WBSC Premier12 players Category:World Baseball Classic players of Australia