Biography
Akil Neomon Baddoo (born August 16, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Detroit Tigers organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2021.
Early life
Baddoo was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, to parents John and Akilah. His father's family is originally from Ghana and his mother's family is from Trinidad and Tobago. He was educated and played varsity baseball at Salem High School in Conyers, Georgia.
Career
Minnesota Twins
Baddoo was drafted out of high school by the Minnesota Twins in the second round, with the 74th overall selection, of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. After two seasons in Twins' rookie leagues with the Gulf Coast League Twins and Elizabethton Twins, he was assigned to the Single–A Cedar Rapids Kernels for the 2018 season. In 113 games, Baddoo batted .243/.352/.419 with 11 home runs, 40 RBI, and 24 stolen bases.
Baddoo moved up to the High–A Fort Myers Miracle for the 2019 season, but played only 29 games before requiring Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. The injury and cancellation of the minor league season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to Baddoo playing in no games in 2020.
Detroit Tigers
On December 10, 2020, the Detroit Tigers selected Baddoo with the third pick in the Rule 5 draft. Baddoo made the team's 2021 Opening Day roster after hitting .325 with five home runs in the spring training season.
He made his major league debut on April 4, hitting a home run in his first at-bat, on the first pitch he saw from Cleveland Indians starter Aaron Civale. Baddoo became the ninth player in Tigers' franchise history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat, and only the second to do so on the first pitch, following George Vico, who accomplished the feat in 1948. The following day, Baddoo hit his first career grand slam off of Randy Dobnak of the Minnesota Twins. He became the first player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first two career games and the first player in MLB history to do so from the ninth spot in the batting order.
On April 6, Baddoo recorded his first career walk-off hit, a tenth-inning RBI single off of Twins closer Hansel Robles to give the Tigers a 4–3 victory. He became the first Tiger with a walk-off hit within his first three major league games since Gabe Alvarez in 1998 and the first MLB player since at least 1900 with two homers, including a grand slam, and a walk-off hit in his first three career games. On April 13, Baddoo recorded his fourth home run of the season. He became the first player in franchise history to post four homers and 10 RBIs within his first eight games, and the first major league player to do so since Kyle Lewis in 2019. He also became the first Tigers' player since Don Ross in 1938, and the sixth player in MLB history, to drive in a run in at least six of his first eight career games.
On August 11, Baddoo was placed on the 7-day concussion protocol injured list, following a collision with center fielder Derek Hill the previous night. Baddoo was activated off the injured list on August 23. Baddoo finished the 2021 season hitting .259 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI, while stealing 18 bases in 22 attempts. Baddoo earned the Detroit Tigers-Detroit Sports Media Association 2021 Rookie of the Year award.
Baddoo made the 2022 Opening day roster and began the season as the Tigers' center fielder. On May 9, he was sent down to Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens after posting a .140 average. After hitting .300 with a .405 on-base percentage in 30 games with Toledo, he was recalled to the Tigers on July 11. He finished the season hitting .204 with 2 home runs.
Baddoo was optioned to Toledo to begin the 2023 season, and was called up on April 8, after Austin Meadows was placed on the 10-day injured list. He played in 112 games for Detroit, batting .218/.310/.372 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.
Baddoo was again optioned to Triple–A Toledo to begin the 2024 season. In 31 games for Detroit, he batted .137/.220/.301 with two home runs, five RBI, and one stolen base. Baddoo was designated for assignment following the signing of Alex Cobb on December 10, 2024. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Toledo on December 17.
On February 20, 2025, Baddoo underwent surgery to repair a hamate hook fracture in his right hand, necessitating a recovery of at least 4-to-8 weeks.