Detroit Tigers infielder Andre Lipcius was one of the first Tennessee baseball stars of the Tony Vitello era. Lipcius became the third Vitello era Vol to make it to the show over the weekend when the Detroit Tigers used their September expanded roster spot to call up Lipcius.
After going 0-for-2 in his career debut Friday night, Lipcius hit a home run in his first at-bat Saturday.
First hit! FIRST HOMER!
Andre Lipcius will remember this one forever. pic.twitter.com/jwi4KzYxF7
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 2, 2023
It was a memorable moment for Andre but his twin brother Luc — a former Tennessee first baseman — really might have stolen the show.
Luc is on the right side of the Lipcius family shot wearing a tan shirt and jumping for joy at his twin brother’s achievement. When Tigers’ reporter Johnny Kane comes to interview the family after the fact, the goofy Luc was extremely entertaining, discussing Detroit and MLB legend Miguel Cabrera and even using some language that’s not fit for live television.
“I tell ya what, that guy is a class act,” Luc said of Cabrera. “Even before he met us and shook our hands as a family he gave me a little nod. I said “what’s up, dude. I know I look like one of those guys out there. The other big leaguers. That guy is so cool.”
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Luc quickly pivoted from meeting one of the best first basemen in the history of baseball to discuss his brother’s accomplishment.
“This moment is just absolutely priceless,” Luc said. “He’s facing (Mike) Clevinger who’s not just a no-name big leaguer — there’s not really any no-name big leaguers — but he Clevinger. He’s got that f***ing delivery. Everyone knows who he is. And he (Andre) is hitting homers off of him. This guys is just crazy and he’s worked so hard for this and it is so cool to see him shine and step up to this moment.”
Andre Lipcius hit .308 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs during his junior season in 2019. Along with Alerick Soularie, Lipcius propelled Tennessee’s offense to the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005 before the Tigers selected him in the third round of that year’s draft.
Luc Lipcius spent much of Andre’s three years at Tennessee battling injuries before hitting his stride during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Luc hit .313 with 19 home runs and 44 RBIs in his final collegiate season. The left-handed first baseman also holds as Tennessee’s career home run record (40).
