Josh Romanski

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. 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.

As a sophomore, Romanski was named a second-team All-American and first-team All-WCC. 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.

Professional career

The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Romanski in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. After playing in four games for the Helena Brewers of the Advanced Rookie Pioneer League in 2008, Romanski missed the 2009 season with an arm injury that required Tommy John 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 the 2012 season, Romanski became a free agent.

Personal

The same day he was drafted by the Brewers, Romanski's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.