| Mark Malaska | |
|---|---|
| Relief pitcher | |
| Born: January 17, 1978 Youngstown, Ohio |
|
| Batted: Left | Threw: Left |
| MLB debut | |
| July 17, 2003 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 24, 2004 for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Career statistics | |
| Win-Loss | 3-2 |
| Earned run average | 3.75 |
| Strikeouts | 29 |
| Teams | |
Dennis Mark Malaska (born January 17, 1978 in Youngstown, Ohio) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2003 and the Boston Red Sox in 2004 in Major League Baseball. Malaska grew up on the crime filled south side of Youngstown, Ohio and attended Cardinal Mooney High School where he earned three varsity letters in both baseball and basketball as well as All-Steel Valley honors in both sports. After being offered several athletic scholarships in both sports, Malaska chose to continue his baseball career at The University of Akron.
Malaska attended the University of Akron (1997–2000), where he set and still holds Akron single-game records for runs (5), doubles (3), and RBIs (10). He also garnered back-to-back Best Pro Prospect honors in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (1998 and 1999) where he set and still holds NECBL season records for total bases, extra-base hits, and triples while playing center field for the Danbury Westerners (Danbury, CT.) He would later be inducted into the New England Collegiate Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2010 as part of its inaugural class. In the spring of 2000, Malaska was developed into a relief pitcher at the University of Akron because of the team's need for a closer. He finished the 2000 NCAA season with a .326 batting average and a 1.13 ERA earning him All Mid-American Conference First Team honors. He was drafted in the 8th round of the 2000 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. A year after being drafted, he tied for the organizational lead in strikeouts, and in 2002 led the organization in complete games. He made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2003 and posted a 2.81 ERA in 22 appearances out of the bullpen, becoming only the third player in University of Akron history to reach the major leagues. He was acquired off waivers by the Boston Red Sox after the 2003 season[1] and received a World Series Championship ring as a member of the 2004 Boston Red Sox after 19 appearances out of their bullpen. In his major league career, Malaska appeared in 41 games and compiled a 3-2 record with 29 strikeouts and a 3.75 ERA.
Mark retired from baseball during spring training of 2006 after an arm injury and now resides in Youngstown, Ohio.