Singer Continues Remarkable Journey With Monarchs

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PHOTO: Ian D’Andrea / CC BY SA 2.0

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — He’s journeyed from going undrafted to the major leagues, and he’s not done yet. 

Former Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jeff Singer has signed with the Kansas City Monarchs, the club announced Wednesday. 

The 29-year-old joins the American Association club after a remarkable path to the highest level of baseball. Undrafted out of college, Singer made his pro debut in the independent Atlantic League in 2015. He caught on with the Phillies organization the following season and rose through the ranks. In April 2022, the South Jersey native was called up to his hometown team. 

Singer attributes his success to a simple mantra: “Be comfortable being uncomfortable.” 

“I was thrown into a lot of tough situations, situations where I was probably expected to fail, and I was able to overcome some of them,” Singer said. “There’s a lot of things, especially in baseball, that you can’t control. So you’ve got to throw the un-controllables away.”

Four former major leaguers are now on the Monarchs’ 2023 roster. The others include outfielder Jacob Robson (Detroit, 2021) and pitchers Ryan Castellani (Colorado 2020, Oakland 2021 and 2022) and Carlos Sanabria (Houston, 2020).

Singer heard about the Monarchs from Matt Hartman, himself an AAPB All-Star with Kansas City last season. The two were teammates in winter ball. Singer says he’s looking forward to playing in front of “a really good fan base” in Kansas City. 

“There’s no one coming from the lower levels; there’s no one from the upper levels coming down. That’s their team,” Singer said of the fans in the American Association. “I’m excited for that type of baseball.”

Singer was a starter in college, but moved to the bullpen after signing with the Phillies organization. He looks to return to a starting role in 2023. 

“I’m really excited to build my conditioning back up and be able to compete and get us into the seventh, eighth inning of games,” Singer said. “I’m excited to accept that challenge of trying to win a starting job.”

A native of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, Singer won a junior college national title at Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester. He later played at Monmouth University and Rutgers-Camden. 

In 2016, Singer earned a spot in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, finishing the campaign with a sparkling 1.42 ERA over 10 appearances. He owns a 3.64 ERA in six seasons of affiliated baseball. His most recent action in the U.S. came for Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2022, having returned to the IronPigs without appearing in a game for the Phillies. 

The Monarchs season opens on Friday, May 12 in Sioux City. The club’s home opener is set for Friday, May 19.

PHOTO: Ian D’Andrea / CC BY SA 2.0

About the American Association

The American Association of Professional Baseball played its first season in 2006. It is a professional partner league that is affiliated with Major League Baseball but not specifically with any one team. The league consists of 12 teams located primarily in the Midwest and the South of the United States. Its season runs from May to September and features players who are looking to showcase their talents for a chance to be signed by a major league team.

About the Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team in the American Association, an MLB Partner League. This year, they are celebrating their 20th year of baseball in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2020, the team partnered with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and changed their name from the T-Bones to the Monarchs in honor of the legendary Negro League franchise that played from 1920 to 1965. The Monarchs won ten Negro American League championships and two Negro League World Series championships in their history. The team featured numerous notable players over the years, including Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, and Buck O’Neil.