Ask former NIU shortstop Joe Mazzuca why he was picked by the Marlins in this year’s Major League Baseball Draft and he’s not quite sure. I “I don’t have one tool that stands out,” said Mazzuca, selected No. 353 on June 3. “I’m kind of average at them all, so I don’t know what they figured.” I That modest response could be considered appropriate with Mazzuca’s

unusual beginning to a nomadic college career that now has him in Jamestown, N.Y., playing with the Single A Jamestown Jammers which will run until Sept. 3.

Prior to his senior year at Holy Cross High School, Mazzuca committed to Division II St. Joseph’s. After a senior year that saw him hit .549, his college interest picked up, but he felt obligated to St. Joseph’s. After a rookie year in college where he earned St. Joseph’s Male Athlete of the Year award, he looked to transfer, which was made easier on his conscious when the coach left to take a different job.

Opting for Creighton, Mazzuca never mixed well with the coaching staff there and once again looked to transfer. Knowing that he’d have to sit out a year because of NCAA transfer rules from a D1 program to another D1, NIU was the only school that would give him a scholarship during his year sitting out, so the choice was easy for him.

“In the long run, I think the year sitting out at Northern really helped me,” Mazzuca said.

The year off helped Mazzuca have a 2003 season which caught the eye of such clubs as the Diamondbacks, Giants, Phillies, Devil Rays, Cubs and, of course, the Marlins.

The 6-foot-1, 197-pounder finished second on the team with a .357 batting average. He broke an NIU record with 57 RBIs and tied 2002 NIU graduate Noel Danielson’s 76 hit mark. Mazzuca was one of the catalysts that helped the Huskies to the winningest season ever at NIU. They finished with a 34-24 overall record and 15-11 in the MAC after upsetting top-seeded Kent State in the first round.

“Joe was a major player on our baseball team this year,” said NIU coach Ed Mathey said, who had five players drafted while at North Central College. “Joe can hit the baseball, there’s no doubt about that. He’s got great hand speed. I believe the Marlins have made a commitment to Joe where they are going to give him the opportunity to prove himself.”

As the 2003 season came to a close, Mazzuca had a good notion that he would be selected in the draft by the interest he was getting. While he received numerous calls, mostly from National League teams, he worked out for the Cubs at Wrigley Field one week before the draft.

“I’m from the north side and I’ve been to Wrigley before, but I have to say I’m a Sox fan,” admitted Mazzuca.

While he knew he would be picked, he still planned on staying at NIU, as a backup plan. Mazzuca graduated at the end of the spring semester, but still had a year of eligibility remaining from the year he sat out, and would’ve went to graduate school next year. But the Marlins had other plans for him.

“I heard my name called on the internet,” said Mazzuca, who listened to the live broadcasting of the draft. “It was a good day; something that I’ve been working toward forever.”

The Marlins, who have his rights for six years, offered him a $150 a month salary and a signing bonus for an undisclosed amount, which Mazzuca said was the clincher in him opting not to return to NIU.

“We sat down and they made me a pretty good offer to come and play minor league baseball,” Mazzuca said. “Hopefully, one day, I’ll play for the Florida Marlins major league team.”

Not bad for someone who couldn’t get a single Division One school to look in his direction coming out of high school.