From Rutgers to the Mets, a Spotlight on RU Alum Jack Egbert

On April 21, 2009, Jack Egbert delivered his 13th pitch as a major-league pitcher and then-Baltimore Orioles slugger Aubrey Huff crushed it to deep center for a two-run homer.

Pitching at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field three days later, the visiting Toronto Blue Jays batted around on the Rutgers University alum, scoring six runs and ultimately sending Egbert to the minors the next day.

Regardless of result, those two forgettable moments have to rank near the top of Egbert's list of accomplishments, because they happened in the major leagues.

"It was a great achievement to be able to say I did it," Egbert said. "It takes some pressure off because you're not wondering if it's ever going to happen. When you get up there with the lights, it's very special. You wish everybody would get the chance."

Those two appearances seem far away for the Rutherford native, who started 36 games for Scarlet Knights from 2002-04, winning 18 games with a 3.90 ERA and recording 163 strikeouts in 221 2/3 innings. He pitched 10 career complete games.

The White Sox drafted Egbert in the 13th round in 2004, 10 rounds after Rutgers teammate and roommate Jeff Frazier, who appeared in nine games last season for the Detroit Tigers and now plays for Triple-A Syracuse in the Toronto chain.

Since experiencing the "highest of highs" in 2009, Egbert has been digging himself out from the lows. Eventually released by the Sox after the 2009 season, he signed with the New York Mets.

He got hurt at the end of spring training and missed 2010 recovering from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow. The Mets liked him enough to bring him back for 2011, and Egbert has been working diligently to regain his strength.

At three levels this season, he's thrown 52 2/3 innings. Though he works in relief, the Mets have him on starter's schedule where he throws once every five days.

"I'm just trying to throw well every time I can," he said. "Hopefully finish strong, then have a normal off season going into next year. That could be good for me."

It would also be good for him if he found his way to Citi Field, and even better if Jeff Frazier, or his younger brother Todd Frazier, another Rutgers grad and current Reds outfielder, were standing in the batter's box.

"Playing baseball at Rutgers was so much fun, especially being 40 minutes from where I went to high school," Egbert said. "The whole experience of having my family and friends come down all the time was a blast. I wouldn't trade my three years there for anything."

Except maybe another shot in a big-league stadium.