All-Time MLB Players From Louisiana: Robert Ellis

There have been a number of individuals from Lafayette, and the Acadiana area, that have played in Major League Baseball over the years.

Obviously, the entire state of Louisiana has produced even more.

As a matter of fact, 246 people born in the state of Louisiana have appeared in a Major League Baseball game, beginning in 1874, with John Peters of New Orleans, who played 11 years, with the likes of the Chicago White Stockings, Milwaukee Grays, Providence Grays, Buffalo Bisons, and Pittsburgh Alleghenys.

All summer, we’ll preview a player from the state of Louisiana that appeared in Major League baseball, starting with players from Lafayette, before spotlighting players from the Acadiana area, and then a few from the state itself.

Yesterday, we spotlighted Vida Blue.

Today, we feature Robert Ellis.

Born in Baton Rouge in 1970, Ellis, a right-handed pitcher, played parts of 4 seasons in Major League Baseball, with the California Angels (1996), Arizona Diamondbacks (2001), Los Angeles Dodgers (2002), and the Texas Rangers (2003).

Ellis went to Belaire High School, and then played his college baseball at Northwestern St., before being selected by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Ellis made his Major League debut on September 12, 1996, at the age of 25, pitching 2.0 innings scoreless innings against the Cleveland Indians.

Ellis went on to appear in 3 games for the Angels in 1996, pitching 3 scoreless innings, without allowing a hit.

After pitching in the minor league exclusively for the next 4 years, Ellis made his return to the big leagues in 2001 with the Diamondbacks, when he went 6-5 with a 5.77 ERA..

That turned out to be the most extensive action that Ellis ever had in a single season, tossing a career-high 92.0 innings over 19 games, including 17 starts.

Moving on to the Dodgers in 2002, Ellis appeared in only 3 games, before going 1-1 with an 8.35 ERA. in four games with the Rangers in 2003.

In parts of four seasons in Major League Baseball, Ellis appeared in 29 games, including 21 as a starter, going 7-7 with a 6.03 ERA over 118.0 innings of work.