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,
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