Retirement Planners: Donald Lutz begins new chapter as coach

Former Blue Wahoos player made history as first Germany-raised player to big leagues

Donald Lutz, No. 23, shown with teammates Travis "Moose" Mattair (25) and current Cincinnati Reds pitcher Robert Stephenson, gathered together at the 2014 media/photo day at Blue Wahoos Stadium. (Photo Courtesy of Pensacola News Journal)

By Bill Vilona, Senior Writer

August 28, 2019

Donald Lutz spent parts of four seasons in Pensacola, including the Blue Wahoos inaugural 2012 season, all toward a path that enabled him to make baseball history.
Lutz, a Watertown, N.Y. native, became the first player who developed his game in Germany and played in a Germany league, to reach the major leagues. He made his big league debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2013 and played 62 games for the Reds during the next two seasons.
The 30-year-old Lutz retired after spending the 2018 seasons with the Brisbane Bandits in the Australian Baseball League.
He is now the hitting coach for the Reds' rookie league team in the Arizona League. The team uses the Reds' spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz.
Lutz played nine seasons in the Reds organization. He played 173 games for the Blue Wahoos in parts of the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons.
His best stint in Pensacola was 2014 when he appeared in 23 games, batted .360 with six homers and 16 RBI. In 2014, he played in 65 games - the most of his four seasons with the Blue Wahoos - batting .245 with seven homers and 30 RBI.
In an April game that season, Lutz made franchise history when he went 5-for-6, while hitting for the cycle with two doubles, a triple, a home run and single, along with two RBI in a 17-1 victory against then-Jacksonville Suns.
On six minor league teams, all with the Reds organization, along with a team in the Mexican league, Lutz finished with a career average of .264 with 72 home runs and 170 RBI.
In 62 games with the Cincinnati Reds, he had 109 at-bats with one homer, nine RBI, 23 hits and a .211 average.
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Lutz also was an avid hockey fan and former player. One day in Pensacola, he skated with the Ice Flyers in an April practice before taking baseball batting practice. He also enabled the Ice Flyers to join the Blue Wahoos one day for batting practice.