Phillies promote Canadian scout Agostino
Philadelphia Philllies scout Alex Agostino (St-Bruno, Que.) earned New York Hot Stove Association scout of the year in Great Neck, NY, Photo: William Blitzer.
Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott reported on Friday that the Philadelphia Phillies have promoted area scout Alex Agostino (St-Bruno, Que.) to the position of cross checker covering from Canada all the way south to North Carolina.
Here’s an article about Agostino’s career that was originally published on the Canadian Baseball Network in December 2018.
Originally published Dec. 10, 2018
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
When people around the Rogers Centre say “Double A,” as they still often do, they are referring to Alex Anthopoulos.
The Montreal native ended a 22-year post-season drought for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Meanwhile, in the province of Quebec if someone says “Double A” they mean veteran scout Alex Agostino. He has scouted for the Montreal Expos, the Florida Marlins and now the Philadelphia Phillies.
Agostino (St-Bruno, Que.) is not only a big deal in his home province. Now, the New York Hot Stove Association has selected Agostino as its scout of the year. The results came to light from Hot Stove headquarters in Union Township, NJ. Agostino will be honored at the 54th annual banquet on Jan. 25 in Great Neck, NY, which attracts a crowd of around 200. Former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine is the guest speaker.
Agostino, drafted C Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.), as well as signing RHP Shawn Hill (Georgetown, Ont.), RHP Jesen Therrien (Montreal, Que.) and OF Ben Pelletier (Varennes, Que). With the class-A Williamsport Crosscutters, playing for manager Pat Borders, Pelletier hit .277 with nine homers and 45 RBIs.
He also signed Phillies lefty prospect Nick Fanti, a high schooler from Smithtown, NY in 2015, selected in the 31st round. Since being selected he had a 20-6 record with a 2.93 ERA. Fanti has walked 52 and struck out 224 in 218 1/3 innings.
Former Brooklyn Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges was the first winner. Tom Burns, who was with the Jays, left and came back won the award in 2012.
In 2006, Agostino won the Canadian Baseball Network Scout of the Year.
Agostino had success as a pitcher, was Baseball Quebec’s technical director, was an influential instructor, was an assistant coach as Quebec won the 1990, the Canadian junior national championship, was pitching coach with the 1994 Canadiian team and is involved with the Empire Baseball Academy with former Capitales of Quebec infielder Ivan Naccarata,. He was Honorary Chairman for the 2017 edition of the Canadian Softball championship.
Actually he drafted four players in four seasons who all made the majors as he selected:
C Pete LaForest (Gatineau, Que.) the 16th round in 1995. But Expos doctors voided LaForest’s contract because of a back injury. He signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1997 and in 2002 was in the majors.
LHP Eric Cyr (Montreal, Que.) in the 35th round of the 1996 draft. The Expos didn’t sign Cyr, who attended Seminole State College. In 1998, he was drafted by San Diego in the 30th and in 2002 Cyr pitched for the Padres.
Hill in the sixth round of the 2000 draft. And in 2004, Hill recorded his first major-league win with the Expos over the Blue Jays.
Martin in 2000, in the 35th round. The Expos didn’t sign Martin, he attended Chipola College, was chosen in the 17th round in 2002 by the Dodgers, was converted to a catcher, became L.A.’s No. 1 man and is now with the Blue Jays.