| Gift Ngoepe | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Ngoepe with theAltoona Curve in 2015 | |
| Shortstop /Second baseman | |
| Born: (1990-01-18)18 January 1990 (age 35) Pietersburg,South Africa | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| 26 April 2017, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| 1 May 2018, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .181 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 6 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Mpho' Gift Ngoepe (mm-POH, n-GO-pay;[1] born 18 January 1990) is a South African former professionalbaseballshortstop andsecond baseman. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for thePittsburgh Pirates andToronto Blue Jays. In 2017, he became thefirst South African, and the first native of continental Africa, to reach the Major Leagues.
A native ofRandburg, Ngoepe became the first black South African, and the sixth South African to sign a professional baseball contract when he signed in October 2008. When Ngoepe was growing up, his mother was a clubhouse attendant for the Randburg Mets, and they lived in one of the clubhouse rooms.[2] He was invited to Major League Baseball's academy inTirrenia,Italy, where the Pirates signed him.[3]
In 2009, Ngoepe played for theRookie-levelGulf Coast League Pirates, and batted .238/.341/.281 with one home run, nineruns batted in (RBI), and 13 stolen bases in 47 games.[4] He was a member of theSouth Africa national baseball team at the2009 World Baseball Classic. At the 2009 WBC, he hit consecutive triples off ofMexico'sElmer Dessens in a 14–3 loss to Mexico.[5] On 10 August 2009,Sports Illustrated published an article on Ngoepe titled "A Gift From Africa" which covered how he started his baseball career, his upbringing, and time with the Pirates since moving from South Africa.[6] In 2010, he played 64 games with theShort Season-AState College Spikes and two with theAdvanced-ABradenton Marauders, batting a combined .206/.316/.318 with one home run, 20 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.[4]
Ngoepe played only 27 games in 2011 due to a hamate injury.[7] He batted .297/.354/.440 with two home runs and five RBI before the injury.[4]
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Ngoepe played the entire 2012 season with Bradenton, and in a then career-high 124 games played he hit .232/.330/.338 with nine home runs and 36 RBI and a career-high 22 stolen bases. He also played 16 games for theScottsdale Scorpions of theArizona Fall League.[4] In 2013, he again began the season with Bradenton, playing 28 games and batting .292/.424/.427 before being promoted to theDouble-AAltoona Curve, where he played 72 games. In Altoona, Ngeope batted .177/.278/.282 with three home runs, 16 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. He made his second trip to the Arizona Fall League at the end of the season, playing 17 games for Scottsdale.[4]
In 2014, Ngeope set career-highs in games played and RBI, playing 131 games with Altoona and batting .238/.319/.380 with nine home runs, 52 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.[4] He was invited to 2015 spring training by the Pirates on 9 January 2015.[8] He played for theIndianapolis Indians of theTriple-AInternational League in 2016.
On 26 April 2017, the Pirates promoted Ngoepe to the major leagues from Indianapolis. This made him the first continental African player, and the first player from an independent African nation, to reach the Major Leagues.[9][note 1] Ngoepe made his Major League debut that day, and recorded his first career hit, a single off Cubs' starting pitcherJon Lester.[10][11][12] Because of time zone differences, Ngoepe's MLB debut fell on the early morning of 27 April in South Africa, observed in that country asFreedom Day, memorializing the1994 election that was the first in which the country's black population was allowed to vote.[13] In 2017 with Pittsburgh he batted .222/.323/.296.[14]
On 20 November 2017, Ngoepe was traded to theToronto Blue Jays for cash considerations or a player to be named later.[15] He earned a spot on the active roster to begin the season, and was optioned to the Triple-ABuffalo Bisons on 20 April, with whom he batted .168/.304/.252.[16] With Toronto he had one hit in 19 at bats.[14] He was designated for assignment on 3 May 2018.[17] Ngoepe was released from the organization on 13 August 2018.
On 30 August 2018, Ngoepe signed with theSydney Blue Sox of theAustralian Baseball League (a winter league) for the 2018/19 season.[18] He batted .357/.451/.700.[19]
On 11 January 2019, Ngoepe signed a minor league contract with thePhiladelphia Phillies.[20] He played for the Class AAALehigh Valley IronPigs, and batted .221/.296/.410 with 5 home runs and 21 RBIs in 122 at bats, playing second base, third base, and shortstop.[14] He was released on 20 June 2019.
On 29 June 2019, Ngoepe signed a minor league contract with thePittsburgh Pirates and was assigned to theDouble-AAltoona Curve.[21] He batted .100/.289/.100 in 30 at bats.[14] He was released on 30 July 2019.
On 6 August 2019, Ngoepe signed with theLancaster Barnstormers of the independentAtlantic League of Professional Baseball. He batted .289/.317/.632 with three home runs and seven RBIs for them in 38 at bats, playing seven games at shortstop and four games at second base.[14]
Ngoepe returned to theSydney Blue Sox of theAustralian Baseball League for the 2019/20 season.
Ngoepe signed with theMelbourne Aces of theAustralian Baseball League for the 2020/21 season. They won theClaxton Shield that same year.
On 30 March 2021, Ngoepe signed with theQuébec Capitales of theFrontier League.[22] In 82 games he hit .281/.377/.464 with 9 home runs, 47 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.
On 16 March 2022, Ngoepe became a coach with the Newport Rams ofBaseball Victoria.[23]
On 6 March 2023, Ngoepe was announced as a coach for the rookie-levelArizona Complex League Diamondbacks, the rookie–level affiliate of theArizona Diamondbacks.[24] On 8 January 2024, Ngoepe was shifted to the role of manager for the ACL Diamondbacks.[25] On 15 January 2025, Ngoepe was promoted to serve as the bench coach for the Single-AVisalia Rawhide.[26]
Ngoepe is married to Cait and they have a son Kiani.[23]
Ngoepe's younger brother, Victor, is a former Pirates prospect.[27]