CHARLESTON, WV (March 21, 2023) – The Charleston Dirty Birds announce the additions of INF Dawel Lugo and OF Denis Phipps to the 2023 roster. 

Dawel Lugo enters his twelfth season of professional baseball after playing for the Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, and Tigers organizations. Lugo made his Major League debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2018 where he played three seasons and slashed .200/.273/.200 in his last season with the organization in 2020.  

“Adding Lugo to our ball club not only solidifies us at third base, but he is versatile enough to play anywhere in the infield,” said Dirty Birds’ Manager, Billy Horn. “He also has a very successful track record of flat-out hitting at every level he has been, and his three years in the major league will bring great added experience to our team.” 

Joining Lugo on the Dirty Birds roster is MLB veteran Denis Phipps. Phipps made his Major League debut in 2012 with the Cincinnati Reds and played one year in the White Sox organization. With 33 home runs for the Tri-City Valley Cats of the Frontier League, Phipps joins the Dirty Birds after slashing .296/.298/.648 in 2022. 

“We are extremely excited to bring in Phipps,” said Horn. “Year in and year out he has proven to be an absolute beast in the middle of the lineup, providing a ton of power and driving in runs.” 

The Dirty Birds home opener is May 9 at GoMart Ballpark. Single-game tickets for the 2023 season are now on sale. For more information or to shop the Dirty Birds team store visit www.dirtybirdsbaseball.com

The Charleston Dirty Birds are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary season in 2023, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. ALPB has sent over 1,200 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 45 million fans to its family-friendly ballparks throughout its 25-year history. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com