GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Three former Tusculum College student-athletes continue to pursue their baseball dreams as they play professionally this summer in the minor leagues. Brandon Dickson, Ben Swaggerty and Maikol Gonzalez are currently on the active rosters for their respective clubs.

Dickson is in his second year with the Springfield Cardinals, the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was picked up by the Texas League squad last year and has posted a 5-6 with the Red Birds, both as a starter and out of the bullpen. He is 2-4 this year with a 4.41 earned run average. He has made a dozen appearances, including eight starts. Dickson is in his fourth year of professional baseball since being picked up as an undrafted free agent by St. Louis in 2006.

The Marbury, Ala. native started last year with the Class-A Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League. He posted a 7-8 record with a 3.51 ERA in the Cardinals' rotation. He made 17 starts and was credited with a complete game and a save.

Dickson made his professional debut in 2006 with the Johnson City Cardinals of the Appalachian League where he posted a 1-0 record in his nine appearances with the Red Birds. In 2007, he pitched with the Swing of the Quad Cities where he went 11-7 in his 31 outings, including 23 starts. He amassed a 3.50 ERA in his 144 innings, including 84 strikeouts.

In his first and only season at Tusculum (2006), Dickson went 5-2 with a 3.39 ERA. His 24 mound appearances are tied for the second most in a season at Tusculum. He tallied four saves in his 58.1 innings to go along with 37 strikeouts. Dickson garnered South Atlantic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors and played an important part in Tusculum's 40-14-1 campaign, including a conference championship.

Swaggerty, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent with Kansas City in 2007, has been a solid performer in the Royals' organization. He is in his second season with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Royals' Class-A Advanced affiliate in the Carolina League. In 2009, he has posted a 3-1 record with two saves in his 15 relief appearances. He has a 1.80 ERA and hasn't allowed an earned run in his last seven games. Swaggerty posted a 3-2 record and a 2.66 ERA last year in his 32 outings with the Blue Rocks.

Swaggerty started off the 2008 season with the Burlington Bees in the Midwest League where he posted a 1-0 mark in his 12 outings. He started his professional career in 2007 with the Idaho Falls Chukars in the Pioneer League as he went 1-0 with a 3.03 ERA. He made 24 appearances out of the bullpen, including a save with 51 strikeouts in his 35.2 innings of work.

Swaggerty, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., posted an impressive 5-0 record and a team-best six saves in his 24 appearances in his senior campaign at Tusculum. During that 2007 season, his save tally was 35th in the nation (NCAA Division II), while posting a 1.69 ERA with 61 strikeouts. He especially shined during TC's postseason run, recording a pair of saves during the 2007 NCAA II South Regional. He tossed three innings in Tusculum's 4-1 win over nine-time national champion Florida Southern College. The following day, he scattered two hits and struck out four in TC's 7-6 win over nationally-ranked Florida Gulf Coast. He led the Pioneers to the championship game of the 2007 South Atlantic Conference Tournament. In his three appearances, he pitched eight innings, allowed two hits, struck out seven and recorded a save. For his efforts, he was named to the SAC All-Tournament Team.

During his collegiate career, Swaggerty appeared in 44 games, r