Craig Shipley is a former Australian baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 11 seasons. He was born on January 7, 1963, in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. Shipley started his baseball career in Australia before moving to the United States to play college baseball at the University of Alabama.
Shipley was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round of the 1984 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1986 and played for them until 1992. During his time with the Dodgers, Shipley played primarily as a utility infielder and outfielder. He was known for his versatility and ability to play multiple positions.
In 1993, Shipley signed with the Houston Astros as a free agent. He played for the Astros for one season before being traded to the Seattle Mariners in 1994. Shipley played for the Mariners for four seasons and was a key contributor to their success during that time. He played primarily as a backup infielder and outfielder and was known for his solid defense and clutch hitting.
In 1998, Shipley signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent. He played for the Padres for one season before retiring from baseball at the age of 35. Shipley finished his MLB career with a .271 batting average, 10 home runs, and 123 runs batted in (RBIs) in 722 games.
After retiring from baseball, Shipley became a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He worked his way up through the organization and eventually became the team's assistant general manager in 2010. Shipley played a key role in the Diamondbacks' success during his time with the team, including their National League West division title in 2011.
In 2014, Shipley left the Diamondbacks to become the senior vice president of international operations for Major League Baseball. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing MLB's international operations, including player development and scouting in countries outside of the United States.
Overall, Craig Shipley had a successful baseball career as a versatile utility player who played for four different teams over 11 seasons. He was known for his solid defense, clutch hitting, and ability to play multiple positions. After retiring from baseball, Shipley continued to work in the sport as a scout and executive, and he has played a key role in the success of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball as a whole.
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