Brian Anderson (outfielder)

American baseball player (born 1982)

Brian Nikola Anderson (born March 11, 1982) is an American former professional baseball player. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox as an outfielder, a position he played professionally until before the 2010 season. He also played for the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees organizations as a pitcher. He is currently an assistant coach at Northwestern.

Anderson is a graduate of the University of Arizona and Canyon del Oro High School in Oro Valley, Arizona, a suburb of Tucson. All Star second baseman Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers was his best friend and teammate in high school, where they played with Scott Hairston and the brothers Chris and Shelley Duncan. In 2001, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Bourne Braves, and returned to the league in 2002 to play with the Cotuit Kettleers. Anderson was named the top pro prospect in Arizona and ranked 27th in the nation by Baseball America. He was named to the Baseball America and USA Today Second Team All America team as a junior.

Anderson was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round (15th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his major league debut on August 16, 2005 against the Minnesota Twins, finishing the game 2 for 7 in a 16 inning loss. Anderson appeared in 13 games for the White Sox, batting .176 with two home runs and 3 RBI. That offseason, Chicago traded Aaron Rowand to the Philadelphia Phillies in a deal that brought Jim Thome to Chicago, clearing the way for Anderson to become the starting center fielder. In 2006, Anderson showed himself to be a gifted defensive outfielder, though he struggled offensively, finishing with a .225 batting average, eight home runs and 33 RBI in 133 games. Anderson did not commit an error at the Major League level until August 18, 2006 against the Minnesota Twins, ending his streak of 110 errorless games. On May 20, 2006, Anderson was ejected from an interleague game against the Chicago Cubs for fighting with Cubs first baseman John Mabry. He was fined and served a five game suspension. Anderson lost his starting job to Darin Erstad in 2007, and after only 17 at bats was sent down to the White Sox' AAA affiliate, the Charlotte Knights. At Charlotte, Anderson hit for a .255 average before his season ended with an injury, a disappointment in contrast to his 2005 season in which he hit .294. He eventually earned a spot back on the major league roster in 2008 as a backup outfielder after a superb spring training changed the organization's negative perceptions of his effort. Anderson again made the major league roster in 2009 as a backup outfielder, with DeWayne Wise starting in center field. However, Anderson retrieved the starting job after Wise was injured in April.

On July 28, 2009, Anderson was traded to the Boston Red Sox for Mark Kotsay and cash considerations. He was non tendered after the season.

On December 22, 2009, Anderson signed a one year, $700,000 contract with the Kansas City Royals. After spring training, Anderson informed the Royals that he wanted to become a pitcher. The Royals allowed Anderson to become a pitcher in the low minors. Anderson began the 2010 season with the Rookie level Arizona Royals and was later promoted to the Burlington Bees, followed by the Omaha Royals. He started off the season with the Double A Trenton Thunder, recording one win, three holds, and a 1.17 earned run average (ERA) in seven appearances.

On February 26, 2012, Anderson signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers with an invitation to spring training. On March 31, he was released. He was released eight days later. He was released on April 2.

Anderson joined Northwestern as an assistant coach in 2023.