Wikipedia

David MacKinnon

David C. MacKinnon (born December 15, 1994) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics, in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Saitama Seibu Lions, and in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions. MacKinnon played college baseball at the University of Hartford and was selected by the Angels in the 32nd round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.

David MacKinnon
MacKinnon playing for the Saitama Seibu Lions in 2023
First baseman
Born: (1994-12-15) December 15, 1994 (age 31)
Easton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: June 18, 2022, for the Los Angeles Angels
NPB: March 31, 2023, for the Saitama Seibu Lions
KBO: March 23, 2024, for the Samsung Lions
Last appearance
MLB: August 26, 2022, for the Oakland Athletics
NPB: September 30, 2023, for the Saitama Seibu Lions
KBO: July 4, 2024, for the Samsung Lions
MLB statistics
Batting average.140
Home runs0
Runs batted in6
NPB statistics
Batting average.259
Home runs15
Runs batted in50
KBO statistics
Batting average.294
Home runs4
Runs batted in36
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards
KBO

Amateur career

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MacKinnon attended Oliver Ames High School in Easton, Massachusetts, where he played baseball and soccer.

After graduating high school, MacKinnon enrolled at the University of Hartford where he played both sports for all four years of college.[1] In 2015, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and was named a league all-star.[2][3] He returned to the CCBL in 2016 with the Bourne Braves.[4] During his senior baseball season at Hartford in 2017, MacKinnon batted .327 with zero home runs and 18 RBIs over fifty games.[5] After the season, he was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 32nd round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[6]

Professional career

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Los Angeles Angels

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MacKinnon signed with the Angels and split his first professional season between the Arizona League Angels and Orem Owlz. He played 2018 with the Burlington Bees and Inland Empire 66ers, 2019 with the 66ers, and 2021 with the Rocket City Trash Pandas. With the Trash Pandas in 2021, he earned Double-A South Player of the Month honors in June.[7][8] He opened the 2022 season with the Salt Lake Bees and earned Pacific Coast League Player of the Month honors in May.[9]

On June 18, 2022, the Angels selected MacKinnon's contract and promoted him to the major leagues.[10] At the time of his promotion, he was batting .327 with 13 home runs over 56 games with Salt Lake.[11] He made his MLB debut that night as the starting first baseman versus the Seattle Mariners and went hitless over two at-bats.[12] He recorded his first major league hit on June 22, an RBI single in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals.[13] On August 2, MacKinnon was designated for assignment.[14]

Oakland Athletics

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On August 5, 2022, MacKinnon was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics.[15] He was assigned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators of the Pacific Coast League and initially spent eight games with the team.[16] On August 16, MacKinnon was promoted to the major leagues to replace an injured Ramón Laureano on the roster.[17] In six major league games for Oakland, MacKinnon went 0-for-13. On August 28, he was optioned to Las Vegas. In 16 games for Las Vegas, MacKinnon batted .297 with a home run and nine RBIs. He was non-tendered by the Athletics and became a free agent on November 18.

Saitama Seibu Lions

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On December 19, 2022, MacKinnon signed a one-year, 90 million yen ($684,000) contract with the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[18][19] He made his NPB debut on March 31, 2023, going 1-for-4.[20] On April 2, MacKinnon hit his first NPB home run, a solo shot off Taisuke Yamaoka of the Orix Buffaloes.[21] In 127 games for the team in 2023, he batted .259/.327/.401 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI.

Samsung Lions

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On December 15, 2023, MacKinnon signed with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League.[22] In 72 games for Samsung in 2024, he batted .294/.381/.386 with four home runs and 36 RBI. MacKinnon was released by the Lions following the signing of Ruben Cardenas on July 10.[23]

Media

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MacKinnon co-hosts Pacific Swings,[24] a baseball podcast focused on NPB, the KBO, and international baseball, alongside Dutch journalist and documentary filmmaker Jasper Spanjaart. The podcast aims to connect baseball cultures across North America, Japan, and South Korea through interviews with current and former players.[25]

MacKinnon described the podcast's aim as giving listeners an unfiltered look at professional baseball: "Just kind of trying to show you what baseball players are like, what the baseball locker rooms are like, and give you stories that you will never hear unless it's two baseball players talking."[26]

Episodes have featured former Yomiuri Giants pitcher Tyler Beede, 2024 KBO Home Run King Matt Davidson, and former Seibu teammate Dietrich Enns.[26] MacKinnon has also expressed interest in featuring former Japanese teammates, including Seibu Lions pitcher Kaima Taira, as part of a broader goal to introduce Japanese and Korean players to international audiences.[26]

MacKinnon handles on-air duties and fan engagement, while Spanjaart manages editing and production. "He's unreal at the whole editing process," MacKinnon told The Japan Times. "I'm there for the vibes. I'm there to tell good stories."[26]

Personal life

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MacKinnon and his wife, Jordan, had their first child, a son, in March 2022.[27]

References

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  1. ↑ Fenton, Jim (June 5, 2014). "COLLEGES: Easton's David MacKinnon excels as two-sport athlete at Hartford". The Enterprise. Brockton, Massachusetts: Gannett. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  2. ↑ "#10 David MacKinnon - Profile". Pointstreak. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  3. ↑ Godfrey, Paul (June 26, 2015). "MacKinnon's hitting boosts Gatemen". Cape Cod Times. Gannett. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  4. ↑ "#25 David MacKinnon - Profile". Pointstreak. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  5. ↑ "David MacKinnon Amateur, College, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  6. ↑ Fenton, Jim (June 14, 2017). "Easton's David MacKinnon drafted by the Angels". wickedlocal.com. Gannett. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ Cohan, Max (July 11, 2021). "'I wouldn't change the 32nd round at all': Trash Pandas' MacKinnon reflects on 2017 draft". WAAY-TV. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  8. ↑ "David MacKinnon earns Player of the Month for June". The News Courier. Athens, Alabama: CNHI. July 6, 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Bees Sweep PCL Monthly Honors". MiLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. June 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  10. ↑ @JeffFletcherOCR (June 18, 2022). "David MacKinnon has been activated and he will start Game 2 at 1B for the #Angels" (Tweet). Retrieved June 18, 2022 – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ Fletcher, Jeff (June 18, 2022). "Angels question the condition of the baseballs in Seattle". Orange County Register. Southern California News Group. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  12. ↑ Booth, Tim (June 18, 2022). "Trout homers again as Angels sweep twinbill from Mariners". Associated Press. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Ohtani strikes out career-high 13 in Angels' 5-0 win over KC". ESPN. Associated Press. June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Angels' David MacKinnon: DFA'd by Halos". CBSSports.com. Paramount Global. August 2, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  15. ↑ Adams, Steve (August 5, 2022). "A's Claim David MacKinnon, Designate Wandisson Charles". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ "MiLB Transactions". MiLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. August 6, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Athletics' David MacKinnon: Gets call to Oakland". CBSSports.com. Paramount Global. August 16, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  18. ↑ "西武、元エ軍マッキノンと契約へ 大谷翔平の元同僚、3Aで打率3割超えの内野手". Full-Count（フルカウント） ― 野球ニュース・速報・コラム ― (in Japanese). December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  19. ↑ "西武 マキノンの獲得発表 1年契約で年俸9000万円「目標はただ一つ、優勝」". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). December 21, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  20. ↑ "ORIX Buffaloes at Saitama Seibu Lions - Box Score". NPB. March 31, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  21. ↑ "【西武】新外国人マキノン来日１号「うまく打つことができて良かった」昨季は大谷のチームメート". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 2, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  22. ↑ Adams, Steve (December 15, 2023). "David McKinnon Signs With KBO's Samsung Lions". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Lions sign new outfielder Cardenas". koreatimes.co.kr. July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Pacific Swings". Pacific Swings. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  25. ↑ Coskrey, Jason (July 31, 2025). "Former Seibu player David MacKinnon hopes to connect baseball world with new podcast". The Japan Times. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Coskrey, Jason (July 31, 2025). "Former Seibu player David MacKinnon hopes to connect baseball world with new podcast". The Japan Times. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  27. ↑ Snow, Jason (June 28, 2022). "Welcome to the The Show: OA alum David MacKinnon soaking up MLB debut with LA Angels". The Enterprise. Brockton, Massachusetts: Gannett. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
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