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Athletic News
07/19/2010 -
Trojan Alum Ryan Kussmaul Signs Contract With Chicago White Sox
Ryan Kussmaul, an All-Conference Carolinas pitcher and a 2010 Mount Olive College graduate, was signed by the Chicago White Sox and assigned to the organization’s Single-A affiliate, the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators. The White Sox purchased Kussmaul’s contract from the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League, where Kussmaul was selected to the West Division squad for the 2010 All-Star Game.
A right-hander from Fennimore, Wisc., Kussmaul transferred from Division I Evansville University to Mount Olive for his final year of athletics eligibility. He posted a 5-2 record with a 3.61 earned run average, two complete games, one shutout and one save in 2009, earning All-Conference Carolinas second team honors. He earned Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing a five-hit shutout over nationally sixth-ranked Erskine. Kussmaul recorded a collegiate-high 10 strikeouts against North Carolina Wesleyan in his final outing as a Trojan.
Kussmaul graduated from Mount Olive this past May with a bachelor of science degree in sociology and a minor in criminal justice.
In his second season with the Southern Illinois Miners, Kussmaul had a 3-1 record with a 2.68 earned run average in eight starts before being acquired by the White Sox. In his last four starts with the Miners, he allowed only five runs in 27 innings. Kussmaul had to settle for a no-decision in what may have been his best professional outing, allowing only an infield single in nine scoreless innings and striking out a career-high 12 batters against Oakland County (Mich.). The Miners won the game 1-0 in 12 innings.
Kussmaul is among six Trojan alums currently under contract with Major League organizations and is one of two alums now playing in the South Atlantic League. Pitcher Michael Williams, a member of the Trojans’ 2008 national championship team, is playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ affiliate, the West Virginia Power. The Pirates drafted Williams in 2008.
Tom Layne, the 2007 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Pitcher of the Year, was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007 and is playing for the Mobile BayBears, the Diamondbacks’ Double-A affiliate. Infielder Rich Racobaldo, the 2009 Conference Carolinas Co-Player of the Year and MVP of the 2008 NCAA II South Atlantic Regional, was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in last year’s draft and is playing for the Palm Beach Cardinals (Advanced A). Outfielder Jeremy Nowak, the 2010 Conference Carolinas Co-Player of the Year, was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 13th round of this year’s draft and is playing for Aberdeen of the NY-Penn Rookie League. Matt Rusch, an all-conference pitcher for the Trojans in 2004, is playing for the Toledo Mudhens, the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate.
Mount Olive also has four alums playing professional baseball in independent leagues: David Cooper - Rockford Riverhawks (Ill.), Sean Lydon - Florence Freedom (Ky.), Scott Houin - River City Rascals (Mo.) and Casey Hodges - Kansas City T-Bones (Kan.).
Since 2004, 12 Trojan alums have played for Major League organizations, nine of whom were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Ryan Kussmaul's Kannapolis Intimidators Profile (courtesy milb.com)