Phillies: What happened to All-Star Domonic Brown?

Following a long journey through the minors, the former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star is back in the city where his major league career took place.

The major league career of former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown may have been short, but at least there was one season where it was sweet.

The Zephyrhills, FL native was drafted in 2006 by the Phillies, making his MLB debut in 2010 and playing all 493 of his career major league games with Philadelphia.

Brown was as big of a prospect there could be for the Phillies, and the excitement was at an all-time high. Fans begged the front office not to trade him with the hopes he could be the young superstar who could keep the greatest run in franchise history alive.

Brown split time between AA Reading, AAA Lehigh Valley and the majors in 2010, before splitting time between AAA and the MLB during the following two seasons.

In 2012 with Lehigh Valley, he batted .286/.335/.432 with five home runs and 28 RBI in 60 games. His MLB stats were similar, spare the averages, batting .235/.316/.396 with five home runs and 26 RBI in 56 games.

With roster changes that saw outfielders Juan Pierre, Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence depart Philadelphia, it was Brown who became the starting left fielder for 2013.

Following that largely unimpressive 2012 season, Brown had a career year in 2013. He ended the season with 27 HR, 83 RBI and a .272/.324/.494 slash line in 139 games, getting the nod to compete in his only All-Star Game, where he was struck out by Brett Cecil in his lone at-bat.

Brown was one of the top Phillies that season. His 135 hits (tied with Chase Utley) and 139 games were the second-most on the team, behind Jimmy Rollins, while he led the squad with those 27 HR and 83 RBI. His .818 OPS was third on the team, or second behind Utley if you don’t count pitcher Raúl Valdés’ three at-bats. He was also second behind Utley with a 3.2 WAR.

Brown’s home and away stats were near equivalents, while his month-by-month was a bit of a roller-coaster.

The start of the regular season through April saw only three home runs, 11 RBI and a .233 BA, but was followed by his best month, with 12 HR, 25 RBI and a .303 BA in May. His home run and RBI numbers decreased in the months that followed, while he improved his batting average in August, .292 compared to .257 in July.

But, the last month of the season was a sign of what was to come. Brown hit only two RBI and no home runs, while recording a .255 BA in his last 17 games of the year. Granted, he did miss time from late August to mid-September due to an Achilles injury.

The outfielder held onto the starting role in 2014, playing in five more games than the previous year, but seeing a drop in RBI and a dramatic slide in both HR and averages. He finished the season with 10 HR, 63 RBI and a .235/.285/.349 slash line in 144 games.

Brown split 2015 between AAA and the majors, hitting two home runs, 26 RBI and .257/.307/.352 in 52 games for Lehigh Valley, while hitting five home runs, 25 RBI and .228/.284/.349 in 63 games for the Phillies.

The Phillies outrighted Brown from the 40-man roster after the end of the season and he elected to enter free agency, signing a minor-league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays for 2016.

Brown played 126 games for AAA Buffalo that year, recording seven HR, 41 RBI and a .239/.303/.336 slash line. In 2017, 48 games for the Colorado Rockies’ AAA team in Albuquerque, recording three HR, 21 RBI and a .304/.327/.449 slash line.

Despite the better averages, that would be all for Brown’s career in the U.S. He spent the next two seasons in Mexico, including playing 21 games for the Venados de Mazatlán in the Mexican Pacific Winter League’s 2019-20 season. Most recently, he played in seven games for the Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Winter League.

Following his journey out west and to the south, Brown is back in Philadelphia, but without his cleats and jersey.

The 32-year-old now works with Athletes Academy in nearby East Norriton, PA, where he’s helping the next generation.

Brown told CBS Philly that “I’ve seen how the game is changing kids’ lives so I decided to hang ’em up…I got more passion in teaching, bringing kids in here. It’s been a big life-changer.”

While it was a long road in between, the 2013 All-Star now finds himself in a new role in a familiar city.