COLLEGE: Duke University
HIGH SCHOOL: Burns HS (NC)
DRAFT: 13th round (375th overall), Detroit Tigers, 2018

CAREER NOTES

• .996 fielding percentage as a catcher in 991.1 innings…Thrown out 37% of would-be base stealers

2021

• Appeared in 48 games across four minor league levels, peaking at AAA Toledo for 15 games.

2020

• DID NOT PLAY

2019

• Hit his first professional home run for West Michigan…In 56 games, hit .239 with 2 HR and 27 RBI.
• Between West MIchigan and A Lakeland, turned 8 double plays in 65 games from behind the plate.
• Successfully threw out 40% of prospective base stealers (23 of 57).

2018

• Drafted in the 13th round by Detroit, appearing in 31 games for Class-A West Michigan.
• Enjoyed his best offensive season at Duke, helping the Blue Devils reach the NCAA Super Regionals…Hit .286 with 4 HR and 46 RBI, while stealing 12 bases.

2017

• Hit .255 at Duke with 21 RBI…Stole 3 bases in 3 attempts.

2016

• Hit .281 in 50 games at Duke.

COLLEGE: Hawaii
HIGH SCHOOL: Westlake Village HS

STATUS
• Joined the Rockers 8/3/2021 and was released 9/24/2021.
• Received spring training invite for 2022.

2021
• In eight outings with High Point (3 starts), was 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA in 12.2 innings.
• Made four appearances with Missoula of the Pioneer League prior to signing with High Point.
2019-20
• DID NOT PLAY
2018
• Was 6-2 in 11 games (10 starts) for Hawaii with a 4.12 ERA.
• Tossed one complete game and struck out 32 hitters in 54.2 innings.
2017
• Went 6-4 in 13 starts for the University of Hawaii, posting a 3.59 ERA…Thew one shutout.
• Threw 82.2 innings and fanned 44 while walking just 16.
• Earned his first career win against San Francisco (2/25/2017), allowing just two runs on six hits with two strikeouts in seven innings.
• Tossed a complete game shutout at Minnesota (3/4/2017)
• Struck out a career-high seven hitters in a win against Nevada (4/2/2017).
2015-16
• Played two seasons at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, helping the club to the 2016 Western State Conference North Championship.
• Named first team All-WSC aftger going 7-3 with a 2.63 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) as a sophomore.
• Second on the team with 82 strikeouts while issuing just seven walks in 75.3 innings.
• Threw three complete games and two shutouts while averaging 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
• Named Cuesta College Athlete of the Month in April 2016 after going 4-0 in the month with double-digit strikeouts in each start and a 1.04 ERA in 33 innings.
• As a freshman in 2015, saw only three innings of action.
2013
• Graduated from Westlake High School where he played one year of baseball and four years of football.
• Didn’t play baseball until his senior season as he pitched in seven games with a 5.53 ERA and one save.
• Helped WHS football team to the 2011 CIF Southern Section Championship and state Open Division runner-up finish.
• Played quarterback and received second team All-Marmonte League honors and was the team’s co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2012.
• Threw for a record 392 yards vs. Del Oro in 2012.

PERSONAL
• Parents are Ron Uskali and Paula Juszcyk

COLLEGE: North Carolina
HIGH SCHOOL: Hopewell High School, Huntersville, NC
DRAFT: 5th round (157 overall), 2014, Tampa Bay Rays

CAREER NOTES

• Returns to the ROCKERS in 2022 after hitting a career year in 2021 (.360 AVG, 7 HR, 48 RBI)
• Has played every position except catcher and pitcher as a professional.
• Is 16 stolen bases away from 150 career steals.

2021

• Third highest single-season batting average in ALPB history (.360) and the highest batting average in American unaffiliated leagues.
• Stole 21 bases for the second consecutive season (2019)
• Was hitting .351 when his jaw was broken on a throw while stealing third base on 7/28 at Gastonia…Missed 38 games while recovering from injury…Returned to hit .371 in 26 games to close out the season.

2020

• Played five games with the Rockland Boulders of the All-American Baseball Challenge.
• Was 4-for-14 with a double, RBI and one stolen base.

2019

• Signed with the ROCKERS 6/14/19, appearing in 75 games.
• Hit .287 with 21 stolen bases, four homers and 26 RBI.
• Led the ROCKERS with 21 stolen bases.

2018

• Split season between AA Montgomery and AAA Durham (International).
• Combined to hit .249 with three home runs and nine stolen bases.
• Played 42 games with Durham with a .250 average … Appeared in 45 games with Montgomery, hitting .249

2017

• Promoted to AA Montgomery (Southern) and posted a .246 average with six home runs, 43 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

2016

• Spent the entire season at A Bowling Green, Ky. (Midwest) and hit .293 with eight home runs, 48 RBI and career-best 29 stolen bases.
• Scored a career-high 76 runs and collected 116 hits with 28 doubles and career-high five triples.

2015

• Started his professional career at A- Hudson Valley (New York-Penn) and played 63 games while hitting .257 with two home runs, 20 RBI and 22 stolen bases.

2014 (North Carolina-Chapel Hill/Tampa Bay)

• Selected in fifth round of MLB Draft by Tampa Bay.
• Named second team All-ACC at second base … Named third team All-American by Rawlings, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Collegiate Baseball.
• Hit .302 in 192 games during his collegiate career (217-for-718) with six home runs, 44 doubles and 95 RBI.
• Named the Tar Heels’ MVP by leading the club in average (.339), runs scored (43) and hits (78).

2013 (North Carolina-Chapel Hill)

• Named UNC’s Most Dedicated Player, hitting .298 with 10 doubles and 18 stolen bases.
• Helped Tar Heels to College World Series where they defeated LSU and NC State in going 2-2 … Member of the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional All-Tournament team.
• Spent the summer with the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod League.

2012 (North Carolina-Chapel Hill)

• Started all 62 games (32 OF, 10 3B, 20 SS) as a freshman and hit .269 with 60 hits, 40 runs, and 24 RBI with 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts.
• Began the year in the outfield before moving to shortstop at the end of the season.

2011 (Hopewell HS)

• Named the I-Meck Player of the Year and Lake Norman Player of the Year at Hopewell High, hitting .506 with 38 runs and 23 RBI.
• Helped the Titans to three consecutive MECA 7/I-MECK conference championships.
• A three-sport star for the Titans, he was all-conference in all three sports: football free safety, basketball point guard, baseball shortstop.
• Played for Huntersville American Legion Post 321 following his senior season of high school.

2010 (Hopewell HS)

• Named Hopewell High Homecoming King.
• Had 42 tackles, 5 interceptions and 3 defensive TDs in leading the Titans to an 8-5 record … Named All-Charlotte Observer and All-Lake Norman News in football.
• Averaged eight points and four assists per game in basketball.
• Missed his junior season of baseball with two broken bones in his leg suffered when he was hit by a base runner while making a throw.

PERSONAL

• Michael Joseph Russell … His father, John, is a member of the New England High School Basketball Hall of Fame.

COLLEGE: Florida
HIGH SCHOOL: Okeechobee HS (FL)
DRAFT: 1st round (20th overall), 2013, Detroit Tigers

CAREER NOTES

• Started all 70 games he appeared in the minors, has only started 5 of 42 unaffiliated appearances.

2021

• After being acquired by the Rockers, he dominated in 21 appearances (2.70 ERA), striking out 33 batters in 23.1 innings.
• Struggled in 14 games with Chicago of the American Association (5 starts): 0-1, 9.36 ERA.

2020

• Made 7 relief appearances in the Constellation Energy League.

2019

• DID NOT PLAY

2018

• DID NOT PLAY

2017

• In 22 starts, went 0-10 at Daytona with a 5.65 ERA.

2016

• Made 6 starts for A+ Daytona, going 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA as he continued to recover from injuries.

2015

• Prior to the 2015 season, Detroit traded Crawford and Eugenio Suarez to Cincinnati for SP Alfredo Simon.
• Crawford only appeared in five games due to injury.

2014

• Spent the entire season at A West Michigan, going 8-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 23 starts.
• Was ranked the Tigers’ #3 prospect behind OF Nick Castellanos and RHP Jake Thompson.

2013

• Drafted by Detroit in the first round, went 0-2 with a stellar 1.89 ERA in 8 starts for A- Connecticut.
• Despite a 3.84 ERA, went 3-6 in his final year at Florida.

2012

• Primarily as a starter, went 6-2 with a 3.13 ERA, striking out 73 in 77 innings, helping Florida advance to the College World Series.

2011

• Appeared in 5 games out of the bullpen for the University of Florida, notching a 4.91 ERA.

2010

• Drafted in the 42nd round by the Florida Marlins but did not sign.

PERSONAL

• Drafted 12 spots ahead of Aaron Judge in the 2013 draft and 3 spots behind Tim Anderson
• Jonathon Neal Crawford
• College teammate with 2021 MLB All-Star Mike Zunino

COLLEGE: NONE
HIGH SCHOOL: Felix Varela HS (Miami, FL)
DRAFT: 6th round (184th overall), 2010, San Diego Padres

CAREER NOTES

• Parts of 3 seasons with 3 teams in MLB…44 games with a 1-3 record, 6.14 ERA, 40 strikeouts in 48.1 innings.

2021

• Began the season with 2 starts for Lincoln (American Association), allowing 1 run in 10 innings.
• Signed by Toronto on 6/3, and assigned to AA New Hampshire…Fashioned a 3-4 record with a 4.35 ERA in 17 games (13 starts), marking the first time since 2011 he started more than 50% of his appearances.

2020

• Made 5 scoreless appearances with the Sugar Land Lightning Sloths of the Constellation Energy League.

2019

• Spent 2019 in Japan pitching for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters organization…Posted a 3-5 record with 5.56 ERA in 33 games (66.1 innings).

2018

• Selected off waivers by Detroit…Saved 12 games with 1.45 ERA for AAA Toledo in 33 games.
• Made 7 appearances with Detroit, allowing 9 runs in 6.2 innings.

2017

• After 1 appearance with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, was traded by New York to Pittsburgh.
• Recorded 4 saves in 26 appearances for AAA Indianapolis, along with 3.06 ERA…Struck out 36 batters in 35 innings.
• Appeared in 24 games with Pittsburgh, 0-1 with 4.08 ERA.

2016

• Spent the majority of the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, saving 3 games and sporting a 2.61 ERA in 31 games.
• Made MLB Debut with Yankees on 4/5/2016, striking out 3 in 1.1 scoreless innings vs. Houston.
• Appeared in 13 games for New York, going 1-2 with a 7.62 ERA…Struck out 15 batters in 13 innings.

2015

• 12/29/14 Traded by San Diego to New York Yankees for RHP Shawn Kelley. 
• Pitched 26 games for AA Trenton, going 2-2 with 4.06 ERA with 44 strikeouts
• Dominant for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, recording a miniscule 0.36 ERA in 14 outings…Recorded 3 saves.

2014 

• Promoted to AA San Antonio, setting a career high 16 saves
• Went 2-2 with 2.87 ERA in 27 games, striking out 33 in 31.1 innings.
• Recorded his first of two career plate appearances

2013

• Split time between rotation and bullpen at A+ Lake Elsinore, going 3-6 with a 5.01 ERA but recorded 14 saves.
• Pitched a career-high 88 innings.

2012

• Moved to the bullpen with A Fort Wayne where he sported a 1.84 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 73.1 IP.

2011

• 1-4 with A- Eugene in 15 appearances, 13 starts.

2010

• Drafted by San Diego in the 6th round of the draft (184th overall) from Felix Varela HS (Miami, FL).