Josh Romanski
{{Infobox MLB player
| name = Josh Romanski
| image = Josh Romanski (2451507654).jpg
| caption = Romanski with San Diego in 2008
| team =
| number =
| position = Outfielder
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|10|18}}
| birth_place = Corona, California
| bats = Left
| throws = Left
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport|Men's baseball}}
{{Medal|Country|{{bb|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}}
{{MedalSilver| 2007 Rio de Janeiro | Team}}
}}
Joshua Michael Romanski (born October 18, 1986) is an American minor league baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He is a former left-handed pitcher. Prior to beginning his professional career, Romanski attended the University of San Diego.
Amateur career
Romanski was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 15th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft. Though Romanski and the Padres negotiated towards the signing deadline, the two parties could not reach an agreement, and Romanski enrolled at the University of San Diego.{{cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/usd/20070601-9999-1s1usdbase.html|title=Versatile Josh Romanski has paid off twice for Toreros|first=Kirk|last=Kenney|newspaper=San Diego Union-Tribune|date=June 1, 2007|accessdate=November 27, 2011}} Playing for the San Diego Toreros baseball team in the West Coast Conference (WCC), Romanski established himself as a two-way threat, as a pitcher and outfielder. Collegiate Baseball named him a Freshman All-American and he won the WCC Freshman of the Year Award.{{cite web|url=http://usdtoreros.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/romanski_josh00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614070600/http://usdtoreros.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/romanski_josh00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 14, 2006 |title=Josh Romanski |publisher=CBS College Sports Network |work=CSTV.com |accessdate=November 28, 2011}}
As a sophomore, Romanski was named a second-team All-American and first-team All-WCC.{{cite web|url=http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/012908aau.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075522/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/012908aau.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |title=2008 Season Outlook |publisher=CBS College Sports Network |work=CSTV.com |date=January 29, 2008 |accessdate=November 27, 2011}} That summer, he played in the 2007 Pan American Games and 2007 World Port Tournament with Toreros teammate Brian Matusz. In his junior year, Romanski hit .324 and was 9-1 with a 4.00 ERA. He was first-team All-WCC and threw a no-hitter against the Harvard Crimson baseball team. Baseball America and Louisville Slugger named him a third-team All-American.{{cite web|url=http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/061208abd.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613204838/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/061208abd.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 13, 2008 |title=Romanski and Matusz named All-Americans by Baseball America |publisher=CBS College Sports Network |work=CSTV.com |date=June 12, 2008 |accessdate=November 28, 2011}}
Professional career
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Romanski in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/thunder/index.ssf/2011/08/post_38.html|title=Trenton Thunder pitcher Josh Romanski reflects on his mother's 15-year battle with breast cancer|newspaper=The Star-Ledger|date=August 10, 2011|first=John|last=Nalbone|accessdate=November 27, 2011}} After playing in four games for the Helena Brewers of the Rookie Advanced Pioneer League in 2008, Romanski missed the 2009 season with an arm injury that required elbow surgery. The Brewers released Romanski, and he signed with the New York Yankees as a minor league free agent in April 2010.
Romanski pitched for the Charleston RiverDogs of the Class-A South Atlantic League and Tampa Yankees of the Class-A Advanced Florida State League in 2010. Romanski began the 2011 season with Tampa, but was promoted to the Trenton Thunder of the Class-AA Eastern League, where he was used as a relief pitcher. After being traded to the White Sox mid season he was released at the end.
He converted to an outfielder and spent the 2014 and 2016 seasons in independent ball, in the American Association Central and North Divisions, respectively, playing for the Gary SouthShore RailCats in 2014 and the Winnipeg Goldeyes in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=romans001jos|title=Josh Romanski Minor, Winter & Independent Leagues Statistics & History {{!}} Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-16}}
Romanski signed a minor-league contract with the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 offseason, but was released prior to the beginning of the 2017 season. He re-signed with the Winnipeg Goldeyes for the season, batting .324 with 11 home runs and 81 RBIs in 98 games as he helped the team win its second consecutive championship and was named league MVP.
On March 22, 2018, Romanski signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League. He was released on May 1, 2018. Romanski later re-signed with the Winnipeg Goldeyes on June 22, 2018. He was released by the Goldeyes on June 24, 2019.
On July 19, 2019, Romanski signed with the St. Paul Saints of the American Association. He was released on July 29, 2019.
Personal
The same day he was drafted by the Brewers, Romanski's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. His younger brother Jake is a catcher in the Boston Red Sox organization.{{Cite web|url=https://m.facebook.com/NextLevelBasball/posts/1841049802800317|title=Next Level Baseball|website=m.facebook.com|access-date=2017-04-16}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br= |fangraphs= |brm=romans001jos}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060614070600/http://usdtoreros.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/romanski_josh00.html USD Toreros Biography – Josh Romanski]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romanski, Josh}}
Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Category:American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Category:American people of Polish descent
Category:Atenienses de Manatí (baseball) players
Category:Birmingham Barons players
Category:Charleston RiverDogs players
Category:Gary SouthShore RailCats players
Category:Helena Brewers players
Category:Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente outfielders
Category:Mexican League baseball center fielders
Category:Mexican League baseball right fielders
Category:Baseball players from Corona, California
Category:Pericos de Puebla players
Category:San Diego Toreros baseball players
Category:Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players
Category:St. Paul Saints players
Category:Staten Island Yankees players
Category:Tampa Yankees players
Category:Trenton Thunder players
Category:United States national baseball team players
Category:Winnipeg Goldeyes players
Category:Baseball players at the 2007 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in baseball