Eddie Aucoin

Edward Anthony Aucoin

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 200 lb.
• School Flagler College
• High School Needham High School
• Born October 15, 1975 in Newton, MA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Eddie Aucoin is a former professional pitcher who has competed in a number of international leagues. He compiled a combined record of 17-1 in the U.S. Independent Leagues before an invite to Spring Training with the Toronto Blue Jays and subsequently embarking on a lengthy career overseas.

Aucoin signed his first pro contract as a shortstop for the Waterbury Spirit in the Northeast League in 1998. He then played professional fast pitch softball for "The King and His Court" playing shortstop behind Eddie Feigner, from mid-1998 to 2001. In 2002, he began pitching in the Swedish Elitserien, winning League MVP honors while playing for Oskarshamn BSK. He then signed with the Berkshire Black Bears for 2003 and won the Northeast League ERA title (1.46) allowing only 50 hits in 74 innings and being named Northeast League Rookie Pitcher of the Year.

He was then signed to play in the Colombian Professional Winter League. While pitching for the Cartagena Leones (with Major League shortstop Orlando Cabrera), he went 5-0 as a starter, was named the starter for the All-Star Game, and won the award for the league's most valuable pitcher. In 2004, he went 6-1 for the Northern League champion St. Paul Saints. In 2005, Aucoin was 6-0 with 3 saves and a 3.03 ERA for the Brockton Rox, whiffing 60 and walking only 10 in 65 1/3 IP.

In February of 2006, Aucoin was invited to workout for Toronto Blue Jays scout Tommy Tanous. After the workout, Tanous recommended the Blue Jays sign him. Aucoin was placed on the AA roster, where he remained throughout Spring Training, until a knee injury led to his release.

Aucoin decided to return to Europe in 2006. While playing for four different teams in the German Bundesliga from 2006-2009, Aucoin recorded an overall 1.66 ERA, and struck out 363 batters while walking only 27 and surrendering just 241 hits in 329 IP (regular season). Including Postseason, in 458 IP, Aucoin recorded 510 K against only 41 BB in 4 seasons, with an overall win-loss record of 41-17, in the German Bundesliga, winning Pitcher of the Year honors in the S. Bundesliga in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Aucoin spent 2006 with the Gauting Indians of Bundesliga, going 7-5 with a 2.64 ERA and only 7 walks in 81 2/3 IP. He was 4th in the Southern division in ERA and strikeouts (74) and second in WHIP (1.00) while also hitting .378/.436/.561 to finish 10th in average. In 2007, Eddie moved to the newly-promoted Haar Disciples and posted a 9-5, 1.91 record while hitting .300/.390/.467 as a part-time first baseman. He struck out 117 and walked 9 in 99 innings. He was first in the Southern Division in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts and second in wins and innings (trailing Manuel Möller in both).

In 2008, Aucoin pitched for the Mannheim Tornadoes, going 8-3 with a 0.94 ERA and allowing only 47 hits and four walks in 86 innings. He struck out 102 batters. He also hit .280/.424/.560 in 25 AB, playing DH or the field on occasion. He beat the Buchbinder Legionäre and Martin Almstetter twice in the finals, but Mannheim lost their other 3 games to the Legionäre to fall short of the title.

On May 23, 2009, while pitching for the Legionäre, he threw a no-hitter against the Saarlouis Hornets, walking none but hitting two batters to avoid a perfect game. It was the first no-hitter in the Bundesliga since Enorbel Marquez threw one 12 months prior.

Playing for the Gauting Indians at the 2009 Open international de Rouen, he was awarded the "Best Pitcher" honors for his efforts. Gauting would win the tournament 13-2 over the American team.

Eddie Aucoin signed a 2010 contract with the Konica Minolta Pioniers in the Dutch Major League. He finished the 2010 campaign with an outstanding 1.72 ERA, and closed out the season with an exceptional outing in the first round of the playoffs against DOOR Neptunus. After shutting out the eventual champion over 9 strong innings of 2 hit ball, Aucoin received a no-decision as the Pioniers lost 1-0 in 11 innings. He was 8th in the league in ERA, tied David Bergman for 6th in opponent average (.199), was 4th in innings (84), tied Gregory Gustina for 8th in strikeouts (67), tied Rob Cordemans for 7th in wins (7) and tied for 7th in losses (5).

Aucoin's next season in the Netherlands in 2011 resulted in a stellar campaign, as he went 11-1 with a 1.98 ERA, leading the league in wins. He also was 4th in ERA (after Cordemans, Diegomar Markwell and Craig Anderson), second in innings (100, two behind Orlando Yntema) and 3rd in strikeouts (84, trailing Cordemans and David Bergman) while only walking 12. He led the Pioniers (now the Vaessen Pioniers) to the 2011 Holland Series. The Pioniers lost to the eventual champion L&D Amsterdam Pirates in the Series.

He spent 2012 in the US due to the birth of his son, playing in some Floridian local leagues to stay in shape. He returned to Europe mid season with the Pioniers in 2013, going 3-0 with a 1.24 ERA and only 3 BB in 29 IP, helping. He tossed 8 shutout innings against DOOR Neptunus in game 2 of the 2013 Holland Series but was matched by Orlando Yntema; Swen Huijer relieved and the Pioniers lost in the 10th. Eddie allowed 3 runs in 7 innings in game 4 and Neptunus again won in 10.

Since 2014, Aucoin has played in Europe on a part-time basis for the Soelvesborg Firehawks of Sweden's Eliteseries, usually appearing early in the Eliteseries season and then returning for the playoffs as well as European Cup tournaments. During that span, he's posted an ERA of 1.19 and a WHIP of 0.83, striking out 246 in 184 IP while walking only 15 batters, helping the Firehawks to win the Swedish championship in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

In the 2018 Federations Cup, he went 2-0 beating the Athletics Attnang-Puchheim (AUT) in game 1 and coming back on 3 days' rest to beat eventual tournament champion Astros Valencia (ESP), to put Soelvesborg in the Championship game, where they lost to the Astros, 15-6. The 42-year-old even went 3 for 6 at the plate. He was second in the tournament in ERA (behind Artuur Driessens) and strikeouts (13, one behind Karlo Kos) while being the lone hurler with multiple wins. He also coached for the Swedish national team in the 2014 European Championship.

In the 2019 Federation Cup Qualifier in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, Aucoin dominated for the Firehawks, notching 2 wins, including a one-hitter in the championship game over UKS Deby Osielsko (POL). He struck out 26 and walked only one in 17 IP, en route to winning the award for Best Pitcher. Aucoin also won the Most Valuable Pitcher award in the Swedish Eliteseries in 2019, with an ERA of 0.24, striking out 61 and walking 8 over 38 IP.

In 2023, Aucoin made a surprise return to the Dutch Major League after 10 years with the rebuilding Hoofddorp Pioniers. In 3 appearances, he shined with a 1.83 era, striking out 17 and walking 8 over 19.2 innings. In his second start, he shut out eventual champion Amsterdam Pirates over 7 innings, but received a no-decision after the Pirates scored 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth to walk it off.

Sources

• Mister Baseball
• The Baseball Cube
• German baseball stats
• Baseball in Europe by Josh Chetwynd
• CEB stats
• Sweden Eliteseries baseball Stats
• 2023 Dutch Major League Statistics
• Pioniers vs Pirates 5/27/2023