Alphonse Dante Bichette Sr. (/ˈdɑːnteɪbɪˈʃɛt/; born November 18, 1963) is an American former professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as anoutfielder for theCalifornia Angels (1988–1990),Milwaukee Brewers (1991–1992),Colorado Rockies (1993–1999),Cincinnati Reds (2000), andBoston Red Sox (2000–2001). He was also the hitting coach for the Rockies in 2013. He batted and threw right-handed.

Dante Bichette
Outfielder
Born: (1963-11-18)November 18, 1963 (age 61) West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 5, 1988, for the California Angels
Last MLB appearance
October 6, 2001, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average	.299
Home runs	274
Runs batted in	1,141
Stats atBaseball Reference
Teams
California Angels (1988–1990) Milwaukee Brewers (1991–1992) Colorado Rockies (1993–1999) Cincinnati Reds (2000) Boston Red Sox (2000–2001)
Career highlights and awards
4×All-Star (1994–1996,1998) Silver Slugger Award (1995) NL home run leader (1995) NL RBI leader (1995)

Bichette was a four-timeAll-Star as a member of the Rockies, and was a member of the 1993 inaugural team. In 1995, he won theSilver Slugger Award and finished second in theMost Valuable Player Award (MVP) voting while leading theNational League inhome runs,slugging percentage, andtotal bases, along with leading the entire MLB inhits andruns batted in (RBIs). The next year, he joined the30–30 club with 31 home runs and 31stolen bases, and in 1998, again led the league in hits with 219. Each year from 1993−1998 he batted over .300, and in each year from 1995−1999, drove in at least 100 runs.

Bichette attendedJupiter High School inJupiter, Florida, andPalm Beach Community College. TheCalifornia Angels drafted Bichette in the 17th round of the1984 Major League Baseball draft.

Bichette made his MLB debut with the Angels in 1988, but was a streaky hitter and was traded to theMilwaukee Brewers in exchange forDave Parker in 1991. After putting up only average numbers with Milwaukee, he was traded to the newexpansion team, theColorado Rockies. On April 7, 1993, he hit the firsthome-run in Rockies history, a solo shot offNew York Mets pitcherBret Saberhagen. Bichette was part of the "Blake Street Bombers" which also included sluggersLarry Walker,Andrés Galarraga,Ellis Burks, andVinny Castilla.

He finished the Rockies' first season with 21 home runs and a .310 batting average, his personal best for both at the time. Bichette also hit his first home run at the newly constructedCoors Field, a 14th-inning smash against the Mets that secured an opening day victory for the Rockies in 1995. Bichette had his best season in 1995, coming very close to theTriple Crown with a .340 batting average, 40 home runs and 128RBIs and barely lost the MVP voting to theCincinnati Reds'Barry Larkin.

Bichette, 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) tall and weighing 215 pounds (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb), began having knee problems in 1996, but was still successful as a hitter, with a .316 average, 31 home runs and 141 RBIs, plus 31stolen bases. The 1996 season was only the second time ever that two players on the same team hit at least 30 home runs and collected 30 stolen bases, asEllis Burks accomplished the same feat. Over the next three seasons, Bichette hit 26, 22 and 34 home runs for the Rockies. He remains in the top ten in many offensive categories for the Rockies.^[1] On June 10, 1998, Bichette became the first player to hit for the cycle in an interleague game, when he accomplished the feat against theTexas Rangers, capping it off with a walk-off single to win the game for the Rockies in 10 innings.^[2][3]

On April 4,1999, the Rockies made history as they played theirOpening Day contest atEstadio de Béisbol Monterrey inMonterrey,Mexico, marking the first timeMajor League Baseball (MLB) commenced the regular season outside of theUnited States orCanada. Their opponent was the defendingNational League championSan Diego Padres. Bichette collected four hits, drove in four runs, and homered^[4][5][6] as Colorado won 8–2.^[7]

By the end of the 1999 season, his production was beginning to drop and the Rockies dealt Bichette to theCincinnati Reds. However, his fielding was suffering tremendously and Bichette was eventually traded to theBoston Red Sox^[8] for a season and a half and then theLos Angeles Dodgers. Bichette retired before ever playing a game with the Dodgers, on March 22, 2002.

In August 2004, Bichette rejoined professional baseball as a designated hitter, pitcher and occasional outfielder for theAtlantic League'sNashua Pride. Bichette won the Atlantic League's Player of the Month award for August (his first full month back). He completed the month with a .361 average and 13 homers. On August 28, he batted 4-for-5 with two home runs and eight RBIs.

On November 13, 2012, Bichette was hired to be theColorado Rockies hitting coach, replacingCarney Lansford.^[9] He announced on September 24, 2013 that he would not return for the 2014 season.^[10]

On July 24, 2020, it was confirmed during the opening game of theToronto Blue Jays season that Bichette had been added to the Jays coaching staff full-time after the summer camp.^[11]

On February 4, 2021, it was announced that Bichette would be reassigned as a special assistant within the Blue Jays' organization "to continue to have an impact throughout multiple levels of the organization."^[12] On February 9, 2022, Bichette left his position with the Blue Jays so he could train with his son,Bo, which he could not contractually do due to the ongoing2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout.^[13]

In 1,704 games over 14 seasons, Bichette posted a .299batting average (1906-for-6381) with 934runs, 401doubles, 27triples, 274home runs, 1141RBI, 152stolen bases, 355base on balls, .336on-base percentage and .499slugging percentage. He recorded a .974fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions. In his only postseason appearance, in the1995 NLDS, he hit .588 (10-for-17) with six runs, three doubles, one home run and three RBI.^[14]

In 1992, Bichette was arrested inPalm Beach County after reports of a domestic dispute with his pregnant girlfriend, Mariana Peng. Police responded to another incident involving Bichette and Peng the following year at his off-season home inPalm Beach Gardens.^[15]

In August 2005, Bichette's oldest sonDante Jr., participated in theLittle League World Series with hisMaitland, Florida, team. Bichette was one of the team's two assistant coaches, the other being former MLB playerMike Stanley. Dante Jr. was drafted 51st overall by theNew York Yankees in2011.^[16] Bichette's younger son,Bo, was selected by theToronto Blue Jays in the2016 draft, and made his MLB debut on July 29, 2019. Both Bo and Dante, Jr. played forBrazil in the2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier tournament; their mother Mariana is a native ofPorto Alegre, Brazil (their maternal grandfather is a native of China who immigrated to Brazil).^[17]

In 2017, Bichette was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame^[18]

On June 11, 2024, Bichette's son Dante Jr., alleged that he had been abused by the elder Dante as a child while playing youth baseball.^[19]

• List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
• List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
• List of second-generation Major League Baseball players

• Career statistics fromMLB, orESPN, orBaseball Reference, orFangraphs, orBaseball Reference (Minors), orRetrosheet 
• Little League World Series 2005 Coach PhotographArchived November 19, 2007, at theWayback Machine