July 25, 2007

Columbia, S.C. – Former South Carolina infielder Brian Buscher has been called up to the Major Leagues and will join the Minnesota Twins as the team heads to Cleveland for a weekend series with the Indians beginning on Friday night (July 27) at 7:05 pm ET. Buscher is now one of four former Gamecocks currently in Major League Baseball along with shortstop Adam Everett (Houston Astros), second baseman Brian Roberts (Baltimore Orioles) and left-handed pitcher Jon Coutlangus (Cincinnati Reds).

Buscher has had success in 34 games for the Rochester Red Wings in Triple-A batting .319 (36-for-113) with six HR and 20 RBI. He started the year at Double-A in New Britain where he was also among the team leaders hitting at a .308 clip (76-for-247) with seven HR and 37 RBI as well as 19 doubles in 63 games played.

Buscher lettered two seasons for South Carolina under head coach Ray Tanner playing on both the 2002 and 2003 College World Series teams. In his senior season in 2003, Buscher earned All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball as he hit .393 (106-for-270) to lead the team, his 106 hits tying for the second highest total in school history for the Gamecocks. Buscher also holds Carolina’s single-season record for triples (6; 2002) as well as a tie for the school record in games played in a single season (75; 2002).

The Gamecocks now have had seven different players on rosters in Major League Baseball this season. Lee Gronkiewicz (Toronto Blue Jays), Marcus McBeth (Cincinnati Reds) and Kevin Melillo (Oakland A’s) all have played this year in the big leagues. Each of those players is currently with their parent club’s respective Triple-A affiliate.