ST. LOUIS --- Former Tusculum College catcher Christian Rosa has signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and will report to the Batavia Muckdogs, their affiliate in the short-season Class A New York-Penn League.

Rosa inked with the Rockford RiverHawks of the Frontier League last week where he has played in three contests, throwing out 10 of 35 base stealers in his brief stay with the Loves Park, Ill. team.

Rosa, a utility player from Toa Boa, Puerto Rico, split time at catcher and in the outfield this past year with the Pioneers. He finished third on the team hitting .390 with 15 doubles, seven triples and a team-best 12 home runs, including a solo shot in his final collegiate at-bat in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Rosa's dozen homers are tied for the fourth most in school history. His 21 career round-trippers are tied for fifth all-time in the TC record book.

Rosa, a two-time All-American, becomes the second player this season and the 10th player during the Coach Doug Jones' era to play baseball, professionally.

Rosa was named to the 2008 Daktronics All-America Second Team as selected by members of the Division II College Sports Information Directors of America. Rosa was named to the 2007 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America team, earning honorable mention recognition. He was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference First Team on two occasions, while also garnering All-Region status from Daktronics, NCBWA and the American Baseball Coaches Association.

The Pioneers posted a 41-15 record and ended the season ranked 30th in the country, marking the fourth straight season Tusculum has finished the year nationally ranked. Tusculum closed out the season on a 17-4 run, including four in a row to win the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament, earning TC its second straight trip to the NCAA II Tournament and fourth in the last six years.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn. and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

- TC -