June 14, 2007

Garden City, N.Y. - Senior infielder Ralph Tropiano (Staten Island, N.Y.) has signed a minor league contract as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles, as announced today, June 14. Tropiano will report to Sarasota, Florida, where he is assigned to the Orioles Gulf Coast League team.

A three-year member of the Adelphi baseball team, Tropiano appeared in 70 games, making 64 starts in his career. He also picked up 54 hits, 52 RBI, scored 44 runs and hit eight home runs, seven this past season.

"I can't tell you how happy I am for Ralph. He was one of my first recruits when I started at Adelphi in 2003," Head Coach Dom Scala stated. "He is a great example that you can have ups and downs in life, both on and off the field, but he fought through the adversity and had a great senior season. Ralph is very deserving of this opportunity."

Tropiano joins Stephen Malvagna as the second Panther in as many years to sign a minor league free agent contract. Malvagna signed with the New York Mets in June of 2006.