ILLINOIS
Oswego
Mark Dalesandro
- 13 year professional playing career
- Selected First Team All-American in 1988 and 1990 at University of Illinois
- 1990 Big Ten Player of the Year
- Drafted 18th round in 1990 by California Angels
- Made major league debut on June 6, 1994 vs. Minnesota as a defensive replacement and lined out to Kirby Puckett in first major league at-bat
- Collected first major league hit (double) on July 2, 1994 at Baltimore off of Ben McDonald and made his first career start the following day
- Collected first major league home run on July 24, 1994 off of New York Yankees, Jim Abbott
- In 1995 made California Angels opening day roster and appeared in 11 games
- In 1998 made The Toronto Blue Jays opening day roster as a non-roster invitee. Recorded first career three-hit game against The Boston Red Sox on June 2, 1998 and compiled a six-game hitting streak from 6/7-6/20 that same year. Appeared in 32 games overall while starting in 14 games (11 at catcher, 2 at 3rd base and 1 in right field)
- In 1999 made second straight opening day roster with Toronto as a non-roster player and threw out 40% of attempted baserunners
- Retired from the game in 2003
- Over the years has worked closely with some of the best hitting coaches in the game, including Hall of Famer Rod Carew and Reggie Jackson, as well as current White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker, former Cubs and Blue Jays hitting coach Gary Matthews Sr., and current Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon
- Has trained and worked with some of the areas top players for the past 20 years in both baseball and softball, in all areas of the game
- Plainfield, Illinois resident, married to wife Lisa and father of 3(Nick 12, Gia 9 and Isabella 3)
- Is recognized as one of the top instructors in the Chicagoland area
Location: Oswego, IL
Contact: instructors@fundamentalsplus.com
or www.espcomplex.com or
Since I started catching with Mark my mechanics have drastically improved .He focuses on the small thing while keeping it simple and he always relates it to a game situation. He is also a great teacher of the mental part of the game which helps me with my approach to catching. Working with Mark definitely has given me the tools to compete at the next level.
Tarah Ettinger, Oswego East catcher
Attending Oklahoma State on a softball scholarship in 2010
I have been taking hitting lessons from Mark for about 7 years now, and in those years he has developed my swing into college quality. Not only has Mark taught me the structure of the swing, but he has prepared me for the next level.
- Mike Hollenbeck
Catcher (Joliet Township 2010 recruit)
