Esposito Drafted by Toronto Blue Jays
Jun 04 | Baseball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Junior third baseman Vinny Esposito (Middletown, NJ) was selected in the 22nd round, 650th overall, by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2003 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. Esposito was the lone Rutgers player selected.
In his first season as a starter, Esposito batted .328 with 16 doubles, four home runs and 43 RBI, while walking 42 times and posting a .448 on-base percentage. He hit .375 in BIG EAST games and finished his season with a 3-for-9, two home run, four-RBI effort in the NCAA Regional at Tallahassee, FL.
Esposito joined the Scarlet Knights as an outfielder in 2000 and played sparingly (14 games, .267) before sitting out the entire 2001 season. He returned to the team in 2001, hitting .219 as the team's back-up third baseman and occasional designated hitter. This season, he won the starting third base job during the fall and was easily the Scarlet Knights' most improved player. He has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining should he opt to return to school.
Should he sign, he will be the second member of his family to play professional
baseball, joining his brother, Paul, who is a member of the Newark Bears.
