{{short description|American baseball player (born 1981)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Brian Buscher |image=AAAA8134 Brian Buscher.jpg |caption=Buscher with the Minnesota Twins |position=Third baseman |bats=Left |throws=Right |birth_date={{birth date and age|1981|4|18}} |birth_place=Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=July 27 |debutyear=2007 |debutteam=Minnesota Twins |finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 4 |finalyear=2009 |finalteam=Minnesota Twins

|statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.266 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=8 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=69 |teams= * Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2007}}–{{mlby|2009}}) }} '''Brian Phillip Buscher''' (born April 18, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He spent his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Minnesota Twins. After his playing career, he became an undergraduate assistant coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team in 2011, remaining in the position until 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kitick |first=Andrew |date=August 27, 2010 |title=Brian Buscher Returns To Serve As Undergraduate Assistant Coach |url=https://gamecocksonline.com/news/2010/08/27/brian-buscher-returns-to-serve-as-undergraduate-assistant-coach/ |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=South Carolina Gamecocks |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2017 |title=Volunteer coach no longer with Gamecocks baseball team |url=https://www.wistv.com/story/35020489/volunteer-coach-no-longer-with-gamecocks-baseball-team |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=WIS (TV) |language=en}}</ref>

==Professional career== Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft,<ref>{{Cite web |title=3rd Round of the 2003 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=2003&draft_round=3&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Buscher spent 2003–2006 in the Giants farm system, reaching as high as Double-A with the Connecticut Defenders. In December 2006, he was taken by the Twins in the Rule 5 Draft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thesier |first=Kelly |date=July 28, 2007 |title=Notes: Buscher sees action at third |url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070727&content_id=2112996&vkey=news_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927105418/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070727&content_id=2112996&vkey=news_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |access-date=June 24, 2008 |website=Minnesota Twins |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref> The Twins purchased his contract on July 26, 2007, and Buscher made his major league debut on July 27, 2007. Buscher finished the 2007 season with a .244 batting average, two home runs, and 10 runs batted in (RBI) over the course of 33 games.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Brian Buscher Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/buschbr01.shtml |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

During the 2008 season, Buscher did not make the opening day roster and started with the Twins' Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings. He was later called up to the Twins on April 20,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cook |first=Mike |date=April 20, 2008 |title=Buscher celebrates a bit late |url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080420&content_id=2558827&vkey=news_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422020442/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080420&content_id=2558827&vkey=news_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min |archive-date=April 22, 2008 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=Minnesota Twins |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref> and sent back on May 1 after batting .250 in eight at-bats.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Buscher was recalled again on June 12, taking former Twins reliever Juan Rincón's roster spot.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2008 |title=Twins to recall third baseman Brian Buscher |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080612&content_id=2900455&vkey=pr_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606050119/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080612&content_id=2900455&vkey=pr_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=Minnesota Twins |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref> At the time of his recall, Buscher was batting .328 (58-for-177) with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 27 RBI in 51 games for the Red Wings.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Upon arriving in Minneapolis, Justin Morneau took Buscher under his wing, allowing him to stay at him apartment and showing him how things worked in the major leagues. After his June callup, Buscher replaced struggling veteran Mike Lamb as the everyday third baseman.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Kelsie |date=July 4, 2008 |title=Day off leaves Minnesota Twins' Alexi Casilla out of the lineup |url=http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_9791195?nclick_check=1 |website=St. Paul Pioneer Press}}</ref> He finished the season batting .294 with four home runs and 47 RBI in 70 games.<ref name=":0" />

In 2009, Buscher played sparingly, making 136 at-bats while batting .235 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 61 games.<ref name=":0" /> He served as a platoon DH alongside Brendan Harris. Buscher did not make the Twins' 2009 playoff roster. He was outrighted off the 40-man on November 3, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholson-Smith |first=Ben |date=November 3, 2009 |title=Odds & Ends: Schueler, Dunn, Yankees, Strasburg |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/odds-ends-yankees-strasburg-holliday.html |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}</ref>

On December 2, 2009, Buscher signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians with an invitation to Spring Training.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dierkes |first=Tim |date=December 2, 2009 |title=Indians Sign Grilli, Buscher, Gosling, Rodriguez |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/indians-sign-jason-grilli.html |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}</ref> He did not make the major league club and was assigned to minor league camp on April 2. After spending the first half of the season with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, Buscher was transferred to the Short-Season A Mahoning Valley Scrappers on June 13. He was transferred back to the Clippers and released from the Indians' organization on June 29. He went on to be manager of the Columbia Blowfish.

==See also== *Rule 5 draft results

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Baseballstats |mlb=430927 |espn=28837 |br=b/buschbr01 |fangraphs=6234 |brm=busche001bri}}

{{2011 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buscher, Brian}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Minnesota Twins players Category:Baseball players from Jacksonville, Florida Category:Major League Baseball third basemen Category:South Carolina Gamecocks baseball players Category:Hagerstown Suns players Category:San Jose Giants players Category:Norwich Navigators players Category:Connecticut Defenders players Category:New Britain Rock Cats players Category:Rochester Red Wings players Category:Columbus Clippers players Category:College of Central Florida Patriots baseball players