Mark Budzinski
American baseball player & coach
Baseball player
| Mark Budzinski | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Budzinski with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 | |||||||||||||||
| Toronto Blue Jays – No. 53 | |||||||||||||||
| Outfielder / First Base Coach | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1973-08-26) August 26, 1973 (age 50) Severna Park, Maryland, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| August 3, 2003, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| August 8, 2003, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .000 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
As player
As coach | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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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.
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
- ^ Tsongas, Ashley (July 14, 1994). "In the Dugout". The Cape Cod Chronicle. Chatham, MA. p. 38.
- ^ Eldred, Rich (July 19, 1994). "Mariners Catch a Breeze, Win Three Straight". The Cape Codder. Orleans, MA. p. 10.
- ^ O'Connor, John (July 10, 2015). "Richmonder Budzinski managing "best of both worlds"". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ "Indians name Budzinski & Sweeney to Major League coaching staff". MLB.com (Press release). Cleveland Guardians. December 11, 2017.
- ^ Davidi, Shi (November 26, 2018). "Blue Jays fire bullpen coach Dane Johnson, hire Matt Buschmann". Sportsnet.
- ^ "First-base coach Mark Budzinski away from Toronto Blue Jays after eldest daughter's death". ESPN.com. July 3, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Glen Allen student killed in James River tubing accident remembered as 'sweetest person'". WTVR-TV. July 3, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- v
- t
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Toronto Blue Jays current roster
- 2 Justin Turner
- 4 George Springer
- 6 Alek Manoah
- 7 Isiah Kiner-Falefa
- 8 Cavan Biggio
- 9 Danny Jansen
- 11 Bo Bichette
- 16 Yusei Kikuchi
- 17 José Berríos
- 20 Daniel Vogelbach
- 24 Nate Pearson
- 25 Daulton Varsho
- 27 Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- 28 Ernie Clement
- 30 Alejandro Kirk
- 33 Trevor Richards
- 34 Kevin Gausman
- 36 Davis Schneider
- 39 Kevin Kiermaier
- 40 Chris Bassitt
- 50 Erik Swanson
- 56 Zach Pop
- 58 Tim Mayza
- 68 Jordan Romano
- 92 Génesis Cabrera
- 93 Yimi García
- 13 Orelvis Martínez
- 15 Brian Serven
- 38 Nathan Lukes
- 47 Addison Barger
- 48 Spencer Horwitz
- 49 Leo Jimenez
- 52 Paolo Espino
- 54 Brendon Little
- 64 Adam Macko
- 65 Hagen Danner
- -- Joel Kuhnel
- 29 Yariel Rodríguez
- 37 Chad Green
- 44 Bowden Francis
- Manager 14 John Schneider
- Associate Manager 10 DeMarlo Hale
- Bench/Offensive Coordinator 23 Don Mattingly
- Pitching 41 Pete Walker
- Hitting 18 Guillermo Martínez
- First base 53 Mark Budzinski
- Third base 51 Carlos Febles
- Assistant hitting 59 Hunter Mense
- Field Coordinator 22 Gil Kim
- Major League Pitching Strategist 85 David Howell
- Bullpen 21 Jeff Ware
- Major League Hitting Strategist 19 Dave Hudgens
- Major League Coach 86 Adam Yudelman
- Bullpen Catcher 61 Alex Andreopoulos
- Bullpen Catcher 78 Luis Hurtado
- Assistant hitting 66 Matt Hague
- Major League mental performance coach -- John Lannan
