Pete Zoccolillo

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1977)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Pete Zoccolillo |position=Outfielder |bats=Left |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date and age|1977|2|6}} |birth_place=Bronx, New York, U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=September 5 |debutyear=2003 |debutteam=Milwaukee Brewers |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 28 |finalyear=2003 |finalteam=Milwaukee Brewers |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.108 |stat2label=Hits |stat2value=4 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=3 |teams= * Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2003}}) }} '''Peter Jude Zoccolillo''' (born February 6, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played part of the 2003 season in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers.

==Career== He played college baseball at Rutgers University where he was three times All-Big East First Team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Three Baseball Players Earn All-BIG EAST First Team Honors |url=https://und.com/three-baseball-players-earn-all-big-east-first-team-honors/ |access-date=29 December 2020 |publisher=Notre Dame Fighting Irish |date=21 June 1999}}</ref> He graduated with a degree in communications and a minor in psychology. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 23rd round of the 1999 amateur draft.<ref name="last">{{cite news |last1=Hersom |first1=Bob |title=Last in line no more: RedHawks outfielder Zoccolillo stepping out of obscurity |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/2856926/last-in-line-no-morebrredhawks-outfielder-zoccolillo-stepping-out-of-obscurity |access-date=29 December 2020 |work=The Oklahoman |date=26 June 2004}}</ref> At the trade deadline in 2001, the Cubs traded him and Rubén Quevedo to the Brewers for David Weathers and a minor leaguer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Yankees, Twins, Giants deal |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/baseball/article/Yankees-Twins-Giants-deal-1061307.php |access-date=29 December 2020 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |agency=Associated Press |date=31 July 2001}}</ref>

Zoccolillo made his Major League debut on September 5, 2003 at Miller Park.<ref name="bref">{{cite web |title=Peter Zoccolillo Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/z/zoccope01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=29 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers Box Score, September 5, 2003 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL200309050.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=29 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He recorded his first Major League hit on September 9 against Tim Redding of the Houston Astros.<ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Zoccolillo 2003 Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=zoccope01&t=b&year=2003 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=29 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Houston Astros at Milwaukee Brewers Box Score, September 9, 2003 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL200309090.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=29 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Following the season, the Texas Rangers selected him from the Brewers in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.<ref name="last" /><ref name="bref" />

After spending the 2005 season in the minors with the St. Louis Cardinals,<ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Zoccolillo Minor Leagues Statistics & History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=zoccol001pet |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=29 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> he signed a contract with the Colorado Rockies. After playing with Italy at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, however, he decided to retire from professional baseball.<ref name="morris">{{cite news|date=5 August 2012|title=Zoccolillo finds new challenge as Morris Catholic coach|work=USA Today|url=https://usatodayhss.com/2012/zoccolillo-finds-new-challenge-as-morris-catholic-coach|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life== Zoccolillo's father, Al, coached the Iona Gaels baseball team. His mother, Terry, was a teacher. He met his wife, Denise, before his final year at Rutgers.<ref name="last" />

In 2011, he was living in Randolph, New Jersey, working as a salesman for Enzo Clinical Labs and coaching youth baseball.<ref name="bayonne">{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Michael |title=Ex-Bayonne resident Pete Zoccolillo translates MLB experience to helping kids |url=https://www.nj.com/hudson/2011/04/bayonne_resident_pete_zoccolil.html |access-date=29 December 2020 |work=The Jersey Journal |publisher=NJ.com |date=25 April 2011 |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, he was living in Mount Olive Township, New Jersey and was hired to coach the baseball team at Mount Olive High School.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{baseballstats|br=z/zoccope01|brm=zoccol001pet}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zoccolillo, Pete}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Beloit Snappers players Category:Daytona Cubs players Category:Eugene Emeralds players Category:High Desert Mavericks players Category:Huntsville Stars players Category:Indianapolis Indians players Category:Lansing Lugnuts players Category:Major League Baseball outfielders Category:Memphis Redbirds players Category:Milwaukee Brewers players Category:Oklahoma RedHawks players Category:People from Mount Olive Township, New Jersey Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights baseball players Category:Baseball players from the Bronx Category:Springfield Cardinals (Missouri) players Category:2006 World Baseball Classic players Category:White Plains High School alumni Category:World Baseball Classic players of Italy Category:20th-century American sportsmen