Married to Danielle . . . three-time All-American, three-time unanimous Southwest Conference Player of the Year
and two-time Dick Howser Award winner (nations top collegiate player) at the University of Texas . . . named
Baseball America Collegiate Player of the Year as a junior hitting .374 with 19 home runs and 81 RBI; went 16-4
with three saves and a 3.25 ERA finishing second in the nation in wins . . . was the Outstanding Player in the SWC
tournament and NCAA Central II Regional . . . at Mary Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, lettered in baseball
(three-time all-conference, all-state), football and basketball . . . played at the 1990 high school all-star game at
the Astrodome . . . first job was tarping cotton modules for his Uncle David in Corpus Christi at age 13 . . . host
of the Brooks Kieschnick show on MLB Radio.
College:
A three time All-America, three-time unanimous Southwest Conference Player of the Year and two-time Dick Howser Award winner (nation's top collegiate player), Brooks was outstanding at the University of Texas...as a junior in 1993 (Baseball America Collegiate Player of the Year), he hit .374 with 19 homers and 81 RBI; as a pitcher, he went 16-4 with three saves and a 3.25 ERA...he also was the Outstanding Player in the SWC tournament and NCAA Central II Regional
2003
Began the season at Triple A Indianapolis before making his return to the Majors becoming the first player to make
the move from Major League position player to pitcher since Ron Mahay (1995 - Boston OF; 1997 - 2002 - MLB
Pitcher) . . . picked up his lone win at Indy on April 12 vs Charlotte . . . was 1-0 with an 8.56 ERA in eight appearances
with the Indians and 0-10 at the plate prior to Milwaukee purchasing his contract on April 30 . . . made Major
League pitching debut May 2 vs New York . . . hit his first home run in his fifth at bat of the season on May 12 vs
Chicago (N), becoming the first reliever to homer since St. Louis Mike Matthews vs Cincinnati off Chris Nichting
on August 21, 2001 . . . would later become the fifth active pitcher to hit a homer (Mark Prior) and allow a homer
(Damian Miller) in the same inning (fourth) May 12 vs Chicago . . . last pitcher to homer and allow a homer in the
same frame was Mike Hampton on June 5, 2001 while with Colorado (Craig Biggio & Wade Miller) . . . recorded
first Major League decision - a loss - May 15 vs Chicago . . . became the only player in MLB history to homer as a
pitcher, a pinch-hitter and a designated hitter when he hit his first pinch-hit homer of the season on June 25 at
Chicago (N) . . . collected his only multi-hit game of the season (2-5) on June 27 at Minnesota . . . pitched careerbest
7.2 consecutive scoreless frames July 4 - 21 . . . picked up his first ML victory pitching a scoreless 12th inning
July 9 vs Pittsburgh . . . posted his best numbers on the mound in August, recording a 3.72 ERA in eight relief outings
. . . started in left field on September 7 vs Chicago, making his first start as a position player for the Brewers
and first in left field since May 30, 2001 while with Colorado . . . hit his second pinch-hit homer of the season,
third of his career, September 17 at St. Louis . . . had four hits from August 6 thru the end of the season - three
of which were home runs . . . pinch hit and remained in the game to pitch three times - May 15 vs Chicago (N),
May 28 at San Diego and July 9 vs Pittsburgh.
2000
SUMMARY
Brooks spent his only season in the Cincinnati organization with Louisville (AAA) and two tours with the major league club.
- A non-roster invite, Kieschnick opened the year at Triple-A, where he hit .277 with 25 homers and 90 RBI in 113 games.
- A Triple-A all-star for the second time (1995), he was fifth in the league in both RBI (90) and extra-base hits (60)...he had a pair of two-homer games, three four-hit efforts and a grand slam, July 18 vs. Toledo...on June 8 vs. Buffalo, in a 13-9 win, he had four hits, one double, one homer and three RBI.
- On July 19, he was promoted to the Reds...ironically, he took the roster spot of RHP Andy Larkin (claimed on waivers by the Royals), who joins him in camp this spring...the two were also 2000 teammates with Mike Bell, another Colorado non-roster invitee.
- In his first 2000 major league stint, he appeared in seven games, all as a pinch hitter (0-for-6)...on July 20 at Houston he made his first big-league appearance since 1997.
- Cincinnati designated him for assignment Aug. 7, after acquiring OF Brian L. Hunter from the Rockies.
- Outrighted to Louisville, Aug. 9, he closed the year at Triple-A and returned to Cincinnati Sept. 5.
- In his second 2000 big-league stint, he was also 0-for-6, all as a pinch hitter.
1999
Like Darron Cox, Tampa Bay loaned Brooks to another
club...from May 24-Sept. 20, he was with the Anaheim
organization, playing for the Angels' Triple-A club, Edmonton.
- Brooks earned the team's Player of the Year
honors.
- Kieschnick led the Trappers in homers (23) and RBI (73),
while batting .314 in 77 games.
- He played mostly first base (33 games), but also one game
at third and seven in the outfield.
- On June 6 vs. Salt Lake, he homered three times.
- After the season, he opted to become a free agent and
signed a minor-league deal with the Reds, Nov. 4.
1998
A member of Tampa Bay's 40-man roster, Kieschnick went to
the Devil Ray's inaugural camp (Tampa Bay took him in the third
round of the '97 expansion draft)...Brooks opened the season at
Triple-A Durham...in his seventh game, he dislocated his left
elbow...the injury sidelined him until July 29, when he began the
first of two rehab stints.
1997
During his final season in the Cubs organization, Brooks spent
most of the year at Iowa (AAA), but also see major league
time...at Iowa, he saw 63 games at first base, 14 in left field and
seven at third base...his 21 homers led the team...Kieschnick
made two round-trips between Triple-A and the majors...he was
with the big-league club April 11-May 21 and Sept.1 through
season's end...he started 25 games in left for Chicago and
overall, in 39 games, batted .200 (18-for-90) with four homers
and 12 RBI...on April 29 vs. Montreal, he went 3-for-4 and set
career highs with two homers and six RBI...after that game, he
was hitting .317, but fell into a 1-for-29 spell that left him at .200
when he went to Iowa.
1996
He made the Cubs Opening Day roster and made his major
league debut in the team's second game, April 3 vs. San Diego
(he struck out as a pinch hitter)...he registered his first major
league hit and RBI, April 7 vs. Los Angeles, singling in a run off
Ismael Valdes...optioned to Iowa (AAA) April 15, he spent most
of year at Triple-A before the Cubs recalled him Aug. 23, when
Sammy Sosa went on the DL...he went 9-for-23 (.391) during
his second major league stint...on Sept. 24 at Riverfront
Stadium, he got his first homer, off the Reds' Curt Lyons.
1995
The Cubs Organizational Player of the Year (Baseball America),
he played the entire season at Iowa (AAA)...an American
Association all-star, he led the league in hits, homers,
extra-base hits and total bases.
1994
In his first full pro season, he played at Double-A Orlando, and
after the season in the Arizona Fall League (.319, 33 RBI).
1993
Brooks made his pro debut with stops in Port St. Lucie
(Rookie), Daytona (A) and Orlando (AA).
