Mark_Budzinski

Mark Budzinski

Mark Budzinski

American baseball player & coach

Mark Joseph Budzinski (born August 26, 1973) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played with the Cincinnati Reds in 2003, and is currently the first base coach for the Toronto Blue Jays.

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Playing career

Budzinski played college baseball at the University of Richmond. In 1994, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[1][2] The Cleveland Indians selected Budzinski in the 21st round of the 1995 MLB Draft. Budzinski played professionally for 11 seasons, and he spent the 1997 campaign in the Carolina League as an outfielder for the Kinston Indians. After spending time in the Indians, Cubs, and Brewers systems, Budzinski made his Major League debut with the Cincinnati Reds on August 3, 2003. He appeared in four games before returning to the minor leagues. Budzinski retired in 2005 and returned to Richmond, Virginia to go into real estate.[3]

Post playing career

Mark Budzinski returned to professional baseball in 2014 as the manager of the Lake County Captains. He then served as manager of the Lynchburg Hillcats in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and the Akron RubberDucks in 2017. Budzinski was hired to the Cleveland Indians' major league coaching staff on December 11, 2017.[4]

On November 26, 2018, Budzinski was hired as the first base coach for the Toronto Blue Jays.[5]

Personal life

Budzinski is married to Monica, with whom he raised three children.[6] His eldest daughter Julia died in July 2022 after a boating accident in the James River near Glen Allen, Virginia at the age of 17.[7][8]

References

  1. [1]
    Tsongas, Ashley (July 14, 1994). "In the Dugout". The Cape Cod Chronicle. Chatham, MA. p. 38.
  2. [2]
    Eldred, Rich (July 19, 1994). "Mariners Catch a Breeze, Win Three Straight". The Cape Codder. Orleans, MA. p. 10.
  3. [3]
    O'Connor, John (July 10, 2015). "Richmonder Budzinski managing "best of both worlds"". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  4. [4]
    "Indians name Budzinski & Sweeney to Major League coaching staff". MLB.com (Press release). Cleveland Guardians. December 11, 2017.
  5. [5]
    Davidi, Shi (November 26, 2018). "Blue Jays fire bullpen coach Dane Johnson, hire Matt Buschmann". Sportsnet.
  6. [6]
    "First-base coach Mark Budzinski away from Toronto Blue Jays after eldest daughter's death". ESPN.com. July 3, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  7. [7]
    "Daughter of Blue Jays 1B coach Mark Budzinski died in tubing accident, authorities say". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  8. [8]
    "Glen Allen student killed in James River tubing accident remembered as 'sweetest person'". WTVR-TV. July 3, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
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