Brandon Phillips is an integral part of the Cincinnati Reds ballclub. On the field, off the field, in the dugout, in the community – he has more than enough character to go around. He’s a dependable performer and always dependable for a good laugh. He’s not the type of ballplayer you see on the field who is evenly composed at all times. He plays with his heart on his sleeve, and it’s just him being true to himself. What you see is what you get, and in Cincinnati, we love what we are getting from Brandon Phillips.

Born in 1981, the Raleigh, North Carolina native Phillips attended Redan High School in Georgia, and was drafted by the former Montreal Expos in 1999. Just as many of the best in the game, he grew up idolizing famed Reds shortstop Barry Larkin. After being considered one of the top prospects in the Expos farm system, Phillips was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2002. He spent much of his time with the Indians in the high minor leagues, and when the team decided to go another direction, he was traded to Larkin’s team, the Reds, in April 2006. He made an immediate impact with the Reds and became the starter at second base. Phillips earned NL Player of the Week the same month he was acquired by the Reds, during which time he also hit his first career grand slam.

Brandon Phillips Since joining the Reds, Brandon Phillips has become a well-known and idolized second baseman. In 2007, he became the first ever second baseman to earn 30-30 honors for the Reds, meaning he hit at least 30 home runs and stole at least 30 bases in the same season. He also became just the second second baseman in history to achieve the feat, behind only Alfonso Soriano. He makes the split-second catches, makes a few appearances on highlight reels, and is sure to entertain.

His character and emotion isn’t something you’ll only see expressed on the field. Brandon Phillips is the player you’ll find who makes time for the fans, for the children, the people who love him the most. Brandon Phillips is an example of a player who is one of the most active in the community, and one of the best performers the team has to offer. It’s no surprise you can find him during batting practice in Great American Ball Park signing for fans down the baselines or behind the cage.

In 2008, Phillips was the Reds’ recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award for community service. That same year, he paired up with the Reds Community Fund to begin work on what would be called “Brandon Phillips Field.” The location of the site was at Clark Montessori High School on Winton Road. It housed the high school’s varsity and junior varsity teams, as well as the Reds Community Fund’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities or RBI program. Phillips donated the $7,500 he received from being nominated for the Roberto Clemente award, as well as $25,000 out of his own pocket to the construction of the new field, which was dedicated on May 23, 2009.

If there’s a Reds event out in the community, you can almost count on Phillips to make an appearance, and to make the best out of it. He’s taken part in many of the Reds Caravan tour stops; he’s made appearances at the famed Rubber Duck Regatta Auction, and in 2008 he befriended a 16-year-old cancer patient and hosted her and her family at the ballpark for a game.

Brandon Phillips is the face of a team, and the face of a true athlete through and through. His generosity and kindheartedness off the field is a perfect match for his intensity on the field. He is a great ambassador not only for the Reds and the game of baseball, but for the city as well.