Published: June 19, 2009 11:40 pm      

Zaleski signs with Toronto

Former SHSU first baseman inks free agent deal with Blue Jays

Former Sam Houston State first baseman Nick Zaleski signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this week.

Zaleski was a starter for the Bearkats the past three seasons and had a hand in Sam Houston State’s run to three straight Southland Conference tournament championships and NCAA regional appearances. He reported to the Blue Jays’ training facility in Florida on Wednesday and is awaiting an assignment.

The Sugar Land Clements product had a career year as a senior this past season. Zaleski led the Bearkats with a .419 batting average (an SHSU single-season Division I record) and 57 RBIs and was second in home runs (nine) on the way to earning second-team All-Southland Conference honors.

Sam Houston won the SLC tournament at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi in May by extending its league postseason record to 12-0 under head coach Mark Johnson and earned a berth to the Houston Regional for the second consecutive season.

Zaleski steadily got better after earning a starting spot on the Bearkats’ roster as a sophomore. He hit .286 to help Sam Houston earn the fourth seed in the SLC tournament, where the Bearkats won their first title with four straight victories and earned a spot in the Oxford (Miss.) Regional.

Sam Houston went on to win two games in Oxford before being eliminated by Ole Miss in the regional finals.

As a junior, Zaleski had a break-out year, hitting .317 with eight home runs and leading the Bearkats with 61 RBIs. He once again helped Sam Houston go 4-0 in the league tournament at Don Sanders Stadium as the Kats advanced to the Houston Regional.

Zaleski was the first player in school history to win three SLC tournament titles. In his collegiate career, he hit .337, with 239 hits which puts him fifth on SHSU’s all-time hit list. He is also fifth all-time in RBIs with 154. His 50 doubles in his career are tied for third-most. Zaleski also had 21 home runs for the Bearkats.