Mark Zagunis


Mark Raymond Zagunis is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs. Prior to his professional career, Zagunis attended Virginia Tech and played college baseball for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Career

Born in Willingboro Township, New Jersey, Zagunis grew up in Riverton, New Jersey and attended Holy Cross High School in Delran Township, New Jersey. He played for the school's baseball team as a catcher, and as the quarterback for the school's American football team. He was not selected in the Major League Baseball draft out of high school.
Zagunis enrolled at Virginia Tech to play college baseball for the Virginia Tech Hokies baseball team. As a freshman, Zagunis was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference's Second Team, and a Freshman All-American. After the 2013 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In his junior year, he batted.330 with two home runs and 39 RBI in 53 games. He was named to the All-ACC's Second Team and was a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the best catcher in college baseball.
The Chicago Cubs selected Zagunis in the third round of the 2014 MLB draft. He signed with the Cubs, receiving a $615,000 signing bonus. Zagunis began his professional career with the Arizona Cubs of the Rookie-level Arizona League, before he was promoted to the Boise Hawks of the Rookie-level Pioneer League. With the Hawks, the Cubs deployed Zagunis as a left fielder in addition to catcher. He hit for the cycle for Boise on July 14. The Cubs promoted him to the Kane County Cougars of the Class A Midwest League to finish the season. In 2015, the Cubs assigned Zagunis to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League. The Cubs had Zagunis focus exclusively on playing in the outfield, and Zagunis was named a Carolina League All-Star at midseason.
Zagunis began the 2016 season with the Tennessee Smokies of the Class AA Southern League, and earned a promotion to the Iowa Cubs of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in June. He finished the 2016 season batting.288 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI's. Zagunis began the 2017 season with the Iowa Cubs, and was called up to the major leagues on June 22, 2017 following an injury to outfielder Jason Heyward. On August 20, 2019, he was optioned down to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. On August 31, Zagunis was designated for assignment.

Personal life

Zagunis's father, Mark, played college baseball for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights baseball team.