Lonnie Chisenhall – Wife, Net Worth, Injury & Retirement

When you make a mistake, there are certain things that you should do about it- admit it, learn from it, and don’t ever repeat it.

Just like the quote states about acknowledging your mistakes and learning from them, Lonnie Chisenhall did the same. A single step that he took in March 2007 changed his whole life.

From being a top freshman baseball star of the nation with thousands of screaming fans coming to see his game to having mostly empty seats, he lost a lot.

However, Lonnie learned from his mistakes and continued to complete his associate degree, and moved on to become an MLB professional baseball player like he dreamed of when he was a child.

Lonnie achieved his dream during the 2008 MLB draft, where the Cleveland Indians selected him as the 29th overall pick.

Today the world recognizes Lonnie Chisenhall as an American professional baseball athlete of the MLB (Major League Baseball).

He made his MLB debut in June 2011. Initially, he played in the Third Base position and later continued to play as an outfielder.

As a professional athlete, Lonnie has made $18 million and is currently living an after retirement life beside his family.

Moreover, let’s look into Lonnie’s early life, burglary charges, professional career, and retirement. First, let’s look into some quick facts about the former baseball athlete.

Quick Facts:

Full Name	Lonnie David Chisenhall
Birth Date	October 4, 1988
Birth Place	Morehead City, North Carolina
Age	38 Years Old
Nickname	Big Lon
Religion	Not Available
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	White
Education	High school: West Carteret High School College: University of South Carolina
Horoscope	Libra
Father’s Name	Tommy Chisenhall
Mother’s Name	Becky Chisenhall
Siblings	None
Height	6’1″ (1.88 m)
Weight	86 kg
Build	Athletic
Shoe Size	Not Available
Hair Color	Dark Brown
Eye Color	Hazel
Position	Third- baseman, Right fielder
League	MLB
Batted	Left
Threw	Right
Marital Status	Married
Spouse	Meredith Chisenhall
Children	Cutter, Cannon, Loftin
Profession	Professional Baseball Athlete
Position	Third baseman, Outfielder
Debut	June 27, 2011
Former Teams	Cleveland Indians Pittsburgh Pirates
Jersey Number	#8 (Cleveland Indians) #11 (Akron RubberDucks) #2 (Columbus Clippers) #5 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Draft year	2008 MLB draft (29th overall pick)
Net Worth	$18 million
Salary	2.725 million USD
Retirement	February 21, 2020
Social Media	Twitter
Merch	Baseball cards
Last Updated	April, 2024

When was Lonnie Chisenhall born? Early Life, Family, & Education

Former baseball athlete Lonnie Chisenhall’s “Big Lon” was born on October 4, 1988, in Morehead City, North Carolina, to his parents, Tommy Chisenhall and Becky Chisenhall. He is most probably the only child of the family. 

As a kid, Lonnie played tee-ball in the Little League and was a little better than most of the players there. He grew up loving baseball. According to his mother, Lonnie always had a baseball in his hand.

Initially, Lonnie thought of himself as just another baseball player and never really believed people when they told him he would play professionally one day. He went on to state-

“Not really, I didn’t really see it, But one day, it just surprised me all of a sudden when I realized I could make a living out of it, and I just took it and ran with it.”

And that is how Lonnie started his journey toward professional baseball.

How old is Lonnie Chisenhall ? Age, Height, Weight, and Body Measurements

Being born in 1992 makes Lonnie’s age 38 years old. Likewise, the talented Outfielder shares his birthday on October 4, making his birth sign Libra. 

And from what we know, they are known for being passionate, ambitious, talented, and goal-oriented.

Moving on, Chisenhall stands at 6 feet 1 inch (1.88 m), making him stand out in his position.

Similarly, Lonnie also has a proportional body weight of 86 kg (189 lb). He does different workouts and exercises to remain in shape.

Besides this, Lonnie’s other notable body facts include his short dark brown hair, and pair of hazel eyes. Sadly, Chisenhall’s body and other measurements are unknown at the moment.

Lonnie Chisenhall | High School and College Career

As for his education, Lonnie attended West Carteret High School, located in Morehead City, North Carolina. He graduated from high school in 2006.

He was a two-time All-State selection and Baseball America Second Team High School All-American pick.

Moreover, Lonnie was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 11th round of the Major League Baseball Draft in 2006.

However, even after being drafted, Lonnie chose not to play at the MLB and pursue his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina.

In college, he represented the men’s baseball team of South Carolina called the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball. 

Furthermore, After being dismissed from the baseball team, Lonnie transferred to Pitt Community College, a public community college located in Winterville, North Carolina.

Lonnie Chisenhall | Larceny and Burglary Charges

On March 13, 2007, Ray Tanner, South Carolina baseball coach, dismissed Lonnie and his teammate Nick Fuller after stealing electronic equipment and breaking into the dorm room.

Before joining the University of South Carolina, Baseball America magazine ranked Lonnie as the country’s top freshman player and Nick as the Number- 4 freshman player.

Lonnie was charged with one count of grand larceny and burglary, and Nick Fuller was charged with three counts of larceny and burglary.

The police stated that Nick stole three computers from the Academic Enrichment Center of the college and $3,100 cash from the baseball coaches’ offices.

Moreover, Lonnie was sentenced by the court to six months of probation period after pleading guilty to larceny and burglary charges. Ray Tanner went on to state –

“This is a very unfortunate event, Both of these young Men come from excellent families, and I feel bad for their parents. It is unsuitable for me to make any other
comments, as this case is in the hands of the legal authorities.”

Lonnie Chisenhall | Baseball Career and Profession

Moving on to Lonnie’s professional career, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians as the 29th overall pick during the MLB Draft in 2008.

Cleveland Indians

With the Cleveland Indians, Lonnie played 68 games during the 2008 Class A Short Season with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. During the 68 games, he posted 45 RBI and .290 AVG.

Furthermore, for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, he played for the Akron Aeros, a minor league baseball team Double-A affiliated to Cleveland Indians that plays in the Eastern League.

On June 27, 2011, the Class AAA Columbus Clippers promoted Chisenhall for his major league debut.

Lonnie hit his first major league home run while playing against the New York Yankees on July 6, 2011.

Unfortunately, Lonnie had to leave the game as he was hit by a fastball while playing against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 7, 2011.

Back then, Lonnie became the first player in MLB’s history to have 3 home runs, 9 RBI, and five hits in 5 plate appearances on June 9, 2014.

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After Transition to Right Field

While playing for the Triple-A affiliation of the Cleveland Indians and Columbus Clippers, Lonnie transitioned to the right-field position.

He became an official full-time right fielder for the Cleveland Indians on July 29, 2015.

Many see Lonnie’s transition from the third- baseman to the right-fielder as a success for his baseball career. 

During the American League Division Series of 2017, game 2, Chad Green of the New York Yankees threw an inside pitch, which grazed the inside of Lonnie’s bat.

The umpire called the situation a “hit by pitch” and awarded Lonnie 1st base. Moreover, the Cleveland Indians placed him on the disabled list at the beginning of the 2018 season.

Read about fellow MLB athlete Kendrys Morales Bio: Injury, Retirement, Wife, Contract & Stats>>

Pittsburgh Pirates

After becoming a free agent succeeding in the 2018 season, Chisenhall signed a one-year contract worth $2.75 million with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a veteran placeholder and Outfielder until Gregory Polanco came to play after his surgery.

However, the Pirates placed Lonnie on the injured list due to a finger injury sustained at the end of Spring training. Chisenhall never played a single game representing the Pittsburgh Pirates.

You can find season stats, game logs splits, play logs, projections, and much more information about Lonnie Chisenhall on the FanGraphs website.

Lonnie Chisenhall | Retirement

Lonnie’s last game was played on July 1, 2018, representing the Cleveland Indians. He officially announced his retirement during a New Port Middle School ceremony to retire his jersey number.

During a Q&A session with the students of New Port Middle School, he went on to state-

“I’ve played only 29 games in the past two years, So between that and having three kids at home, who are all in school, traveling around the country wasn’t very practical anymore. It was a rather easy decision.”

Moreover, Lonnie spent his professional career playing for eight seasons with the Cleveland Indians, who picked him during the first round of the 2008 MLB draft.

His calf injuries obtained while playing for the Indians resurfaced during rehab for his finger injury sustained in the Pirates’ spring training.

During his retirement announcement, he also stated-

“There are many people to thank; Coach Sproul is one of them. I always say that -odds are, if you think you had a hand in my career or my life, chances are you played a part in it, so thank you.”

Furthermore, Lonnie has paid back to those who have helped him along his way toward his career.

He donated a large $170,000 to help fund an impressive 5,000-square-foot indoor athletic facility located at West Carteret, known as the Chisenhall Hitting Facility.

How much money does Lonnie Chisenhall make? Net Worth and Salary

Reportedly, Lonnie had an average annual salary of $2.7 million. His salary while playing for the Clevland Indians from the year 2008 until 2010 was around $1.1 million.

Moreover, his salary from the year 2011 to 2015 ranged from $41k to $2.25 million. Lonnie’s salary for the year 2016 was about $2.7 million.

Similarly, his salary for 2017 and 2018 was $4.3 million and $5.58 million, respectively.

After summing up everything, Lonnie earned approximately $17.7 million until his retirement.

Thus, the presumable net worth of Lonnie Chisenhall falls around $18 million.

Is Lonnie Chisenhall married? Wife and Children

Lonnie Chisenhall is married to Meredith Chisenhall. Together they have three children. Their firstborn is named Cutter Chisenhall, and he was born in 2012.

Meredith gave birth to another baby boy in 2014, and he was named Cannon Chisenhall. Moreover, the couple welcomed their third child in August 2017, a beautiful baby girl named Loftin Chisenhall.

Social Media Presence:

Lonnie is not quite active on social media. However, he only has a Twitter account with around 38.1k followers.

Some FAQs:

Did Lonnie Chisenhall hit grand-slam?

Lonnie Chisenhall hit his first career grand slam in 2013 with a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. Lonnie stated,

“It’s a good feeling, probably the best one of my career so far, especially being my first grand slam. “It was a big game for us.”

After this, Lonnie hit a second grand slam during the ninth inning against Detroit in the 2017 season.

What position does Lonnie Chisenhall play?

Lonnie Chisenhall is a former American professional baseball player who played in the third baseman and Outfielder position in his baseball career.

What is Lonnie Chisenhall doing now?

Lonnie Chisenhall is enjoying his retirement by spending time with his family and kids.

Why did Rajai Davis replace Lonnie Chisenhall? 

Lonnie Chisenhall sustained a right calf injury on April 7, 2018, while playing against the Kansas City Royals. So, he was removed from the game and replaced by veteran Rajai Davis.

How much is Lonnie Chisenhall’s rookie card worth?

Lonnie Chisenhall’s baseball rookie card price ranges from $1.14–$299.99.

Does Lonnie Chisenhall throw right or left?

Lonnie Chisenhall throws right and batts in left.

Is Lonnie Chisenhall in the hall of fame?

In 2020 West Carteret announced Craig McClanahan and Lonnie Chisenhall to the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

When did Lonnie Chisenhall announce his retirement?

Lonnie Chisenhall announced his retirement in the 2020 MLB season on February 24, 2020. 

Where did Lonnie Chisenhall go to college?

Lonnie Chisenhall attended the University of South Carolina for college.

When was Lonnie Chisenhall first drafted?

The Pittsburgh Pirates first drafted Lonnie in the 11th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, but he chose to attend college at that time.

Later, the Cleveland Indians chose Chisenhall as the 29th overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft.