University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies in the Pros - Baseball Update
7/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 21, 2009
STORRS, Conn. - With the professional baseball season hitting its halfway point last week, the following is an update on former University of Connecticut baseball players currently playing professional baseball.
Jesse Carlson (2000-02) and Jeff Fulchino (1999-01) currently represent the Huskies in Major League Baseball as two former UConn ball players. Carlson is pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays and has posted a 1-4 record and 4.93 ERA in 2009 in 45 games played. He also has two saves on the year in 42.0 innings of work.
Fulchino is currently playing with the Houston Astros and has a 3-3 record in 28 games thrown. He also has a 3.64 ERA with 28 strikeouts.
Rajai Davis, who signed with the Huskies but never played in Storrs after playing at UConn Avery Point, currently plays in the MLB with the Oakland A's. Davis is batting .256 this season with 30 hits, 21 runs scored six RBI. In July he is batting .500 in eight games played for the A's.
UConn has 11 former players currently playing professional baseball for affiliate minor league clubs. Brian Esposito (1998-00) has returned to the Round Rock Express, a Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. He is hitting .333 with a slugging percentage of .571 with three runs scored after moving back up to the Express mid-season from the Astros' Double-A affiliate, Corpus Christi.
Mike Tarsi (2005-07) was recently promoted from the Minnesota Twins' Mid-West League affiliate Beloit Snappers to Florida State League affiliate, Fort Myers Miracle. With the Miracle, the Danbury, Conn. native has a 2-0 record with a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched. In Beloit he struck out 41 batters and compiled an overall record of 4-1 with an ERA of 1.84.
John Slusarz (2005-06) pitched for the Bakersfield Blaze, the California League Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. With the Blaze, Slusarz pitched 1.1 innings after moving up from the Spokane Indians, the Rangers' Short-Season affiliate.
Erik Turgeon (2006-08) is currently a relief pitcher for the Brooklyn Cyclones, the New York Penn League Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. He began the year playing for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League and threw in 10 games. Turgeon has now played in six games for the Cyclones and has a 1.29 ERA in seven innings thrown. He has allowed eight hits and four runs, while striking out four batters.
Tim Norton (2003-06) is a relief pitcher for the Tampa Yankees, the Florida State League Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. Norton has thrown in 18 games and has allowed 18 hits and five runs in 27.2 innings of work. He has also struck out 22 and has walked just six opponents.
Dennis Accomando (2007-09) is one of six Huskies playing professional ball that were on the 2009 UConn roster. Accomando has started his professional career with the Danville Braves, the Appalachian League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. He has thrown 6.1 innings this season and has allowed eight hits and six earned runs.
Dan Mahoney (2008-09) has started his professional career with the Jamestown Jammers in the New York Penn League as part of the Florida Marlins organization. He is currently 0-5 with a 6.87 ERA in six starts. Mahoney has struck out 13 in 18.1 innings of work.
Dusty Odenbach (2007-09) is pitching for the Burlington Royals, the Appalachian League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and has a record of 1-0 in 14.1 innings thrown. He has an ERA of 0.63 as he has allowed 10 hits and just one earned run, while striking out 10.
Peter Fatse (2007-09) began his professional career in the Advanced Rookie League playing for the Helena Brewers before being moved to the Milwaukee Brewers' Mid-West League affiliate, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Fatse is currently batting .257 with 19 hits in 20 games played. He also has nine runs scored and seven RBI.
Harold Brantley Jr. (2007-09) is in his first professional season with the GCL Marlins, the Rookie League affiliate with the Florida Marlins. Brantley is hitting .208 as an outfielder in 11 games played. He also has five hits, five runs scored and three stolen bases.
Two-time UConn captain, David Erickson (2005-09), has begun his professional career pitching for the Eugene Emeralds, the Northwest League Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. He has compiled a record of 1-2 so far this season with a 1.35 ERA in 12 games. Erickson has also recorded five saves in 13.1 innings of work. He has 11 strikeouts this season and has allowed just two earned runs.
Rob Bono, who also signed a National Letter of Intent but did not play at UConn, is currently playing in the Houston Astros' organization with Single-A affiliate, Lexington Legends. Bono has an 8-6 record in 17 starts for the Legends, while he has struck out 47 batters in 99.1 innings of work. He also has an ERA of 2.90 and two complete games.
Mike Leonard (2001-04) is a player/coach for the Worcester Tornadoes of the CanAm League. He is batting .237 in 27 games played with the Tornadoes, while adding 22 hits and nine RBI.
John Kelly (1992-94) is a player/pitching coach with the Brockton Rox of the CanAm League in Brockton, Mass. Kelly is the Rox current single season record holder for both lowest ERA (2.27) and most strikeouts (114).
Dennis Donovan (2004-07) is currently an infielder with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League. In his third season in professional baseball and just his second with the Ducks, Donovan is batting .195 in 19 games played. He has also chipped in with eight hits, including two doubles.
UConn also has former players in the dugout at the professional level, including Bob Schaefer (1964-66) who currently works for Joe Torre and the Los Angeles Dodgers as their bench coach. He is in his 29th season in professional baseball and his second year with the Dodgers.
George Greer (1966-68) is the hitting coach for the St. Lucie Mets in the Florida State League after over 30 years as a college baseball coach.
