Richard Austin enjoyed a pair of successful seasons playing in Italy and leading the Fortitudo Bologna club to the league title in 2009. He has signed with the Northern League’s Rockford RiverHawks for the 2010 season.

Nicknamed “The Franchise”, the 32-year-old outfielder/first baseman hit .299 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 29 games this past season for Fortitudo Bologna, which won the championship of the Italian Baseball League.

Austin paced Bologna’s offense in 2008 with a .366 batting average (OBP .475/SLG .652) with ten home runs, 43 runs scored and 50 RBIs. He topped the IBL in slugging, homers, runs scored, RBIs, and was in the top five in most of the other offensive categories.

The veteran slugger broke into pro ball in 2001 with the Springfield Capitals, who moved to Rockford following the season. In three years as a RiverHawk, Austin set two career and six single-season records.

In 2004, Austin hit a league-leading .359 with 15 home runs and 77 RBI. The latter two are still single-season team records. He was an a Frontier League All-Star, league Player of the Year and a first-team member of Baseball America magazine’s All-Independent Leagues team.

he Kansas City Royals signed him immediately after the RiverHawks won the ‘04 title, but released him in spring training the following March.

The New Jersey native hit 32 home runs in a Rockford uniform, with his home games at pitcher-friendly Marinelli Field, but the left-hander hitter’s career record stood until Jason James hit his 33rd and 34th career home runs in August. Road Ranger Stadium’s right-field porch is just 312 feet from home plate.

Austin has already experienced nearly three full years in the Northern League. He played for Fargo-Moorhead in 2005-07 and was part of the RedHawks’ championship team in 2005. Austin hit at least .296 each year at Fargo.

He also had a brief stint in the Class AAA Mexican League with Olmecas de Tabasco in 2007. Austin has also played winter ball in Mexico for each of the last three years. Austin is a career .301 hitter in North American minor leagues.

BaseballdeWorld will be spotlighting a different American Import daily during the winter months and will publish the first annual American Import Free Agent Directory on Sunday, November 29. American players interested in playing overseas next season, and possess collegiate or minor league experience, can click here to be included in this special section at no cost.

Photo courtesy of Ferrini/FIBS

Tags: American Import Spotlight