July 17, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
Former Illinois State baseball player Ryan Anetsberger has just started a career that many young kids dream of - playing professional baseball. "Down on The Farm," a new series on GoRedbirds.com, will look at the progress of the 10 former Redbird baseball players that are living the dream of playing pro baseball. The inaugural issue checks in with Anetsberger, a rookie with the Jamestown Jammers, a Class A affiliate of the Florida Marlins.
Anetsberger, who was selected in the 15th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, has charged out of the gate in his first 21 games as a professional. The Wheaton, Ill., native has been red hot as of late from the plate, including a 3-for-4 (two doubles, two RBI) performance in last night's 6-5 victory over the Aberdeen IronBirds at Russell E. Diethrick, Jr. Park in Jamestown, N.Y.
After having less than 24 hours to adjust to professional baseball after signing a contract in late June, Anetsberger has shown why he was a two-time second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection at ISU, batting .362 for the month of July. He has six hits in the last three games to go along with a home run and four RBI.
Through 80 at-bats, Anetsberger is hitting .300 with 24 hits, four doubles, one triple, three home runs and eight RBI. He leads the team in runs scored (16) and is second in home runs and triples and third in hits.
Anetsberger was a key part to the middle of the Redbirds' lineup during his three seasons at Illinois State, starting all 153 games he played in and hitting .328 with eight home runs, 196 hits and 87 RBI. In 2007, Anetsberger split time between third base, the outfield and designated hitter after suffering a broken nose against Northern Iowa on April 6. However, he was able to overcome the injury and led the team in batting with a .328 average with a career-high five home runs and 30 RBI.
Anetsberger and Jammers head to Oneonta, N.Y., to take on the Oneonta Tigers (Detroit Tigers affiliate) for a three game series at Damaschke Field. For more information on Anetsberger and the Jamestown Jammers, please visit JamestownJammers.com.
Please also stay tuned to GoRedbirds.com, as next week "Down on the Farm" will check in with pitcher Jeremy Accardo, who has saved 13 games thus far as the closer for the Toronto Blue Jays.
