Greg Zunino

Gregory August Zunino

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.
• School University of California

• Born November 15, 1959

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Greg Zunino hit .304 with a .428 OBP over two minor league seasons. His brother Gary Zunino also played professionally while his son Mike Zunino was the first college player taken in the 2012 amateur draft.

Zunino helped the University of California make it to the 1980 College World Series, their first College World Series in 23 years. As of 2011, his 50 career doubles still ranked in the top 5 in school history. The New York Yankees picked him in the 31st round of the 1981 amateur draft, one selection after Cecil Fielder. Debuting that summer with the Paintsville Yankees, he batted .319/.439/.491 with 28 walks and 27 runs in 45 games. Paintsville won the title. Had he qualified, Zunino would have ranked 7th in the Appalachian League in batting average. In 1982, he produced at a .292/.419/.409 clip as a backup outfielder for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees.

Zunino then played in Italy. In 1983, he hit 23 home runs, drove in 112 and batted .496 with a .856 slugging percentage for Fortitudo Bologna. He led Italy's top league in RBI and was 6 points behind batting average leader Lenny Randle, a former major leaguer. He was well back in home runs, 14 behind Giuseppe Carelli. He also played for Bologna in 1985, batting .454/.510/.823 with 21 home runs, 70 runs and 91 RBI in 3 games. He won the batting title this time and was 11 RBI shy of leader Roberto Bianchi, one of Italy's top sluggers.

Zunino later became a scout, a role he has held for over 20 years. He signed David Espinosa and Kyle Waldrop for the Cincinnati Reds.