Introduction of Jeff Taglienti, presented by Paul Svagdis, Tufts Baseball Head Coach and Former Jumbo Standout

As a Division III NESCAC institution, the majority of student-athletes who come to Tufts do not give a lot of thought to playing professional sports. They join the Jumbo family to get a world-class education, develop and grow as people and athletes, compete for championships in the sport they love, and enjoy the full college experience. 

But occasionally, a Tufts student-athlete comes along who develops the ability to take their talents all the way to the professional arena. One such Jumbo was inducted earlier this evening in Julia Browne, and now we will induct a second Jumbo-turned-professional athlete in baseball's Jeff Taglienti.

Jeff was a hard-working, tough-minded kid from Walpole, Massachusetts, who fit the mold that Coach John Casey liked to recruit to play baseball at Tufts. Coach Casey watched Jeff pitch in high school and loved the way he competed with zero fear. And thankfully for Tufts, Jeff decided to become a Jumbo. 

When Jeff arrived at Tufts in 1994, he didn’t exactly light up the radar gun with his 84-mph fastball. But his teammates quickly noted Jeff’s work ethic and his desire to win. Affectionately known as “Tags” by teammates, Jeff delivered a very impressive debut season. He earned a 7-1 record with a 2.30 ERA during his first year, helping lead the Jumbos to an ECAC New England Championship.  

By his sophomore year, Tags emerged as the ace of the pitching staff. Somehow, he had already become the guy who made the team feel invincible when he took the mound. Competing shortly after the NESCAC first began permitting teams to participate in NCAA championships, Tags helped the Jumbos earn their first-ever NCAA berth that season.

Tags continued his ascent during his junior year campaign. He went 8-2 with a nearly unhittable 1.71 ERA, and his strikeout rate improved dramatically from six per nine innings to almost ten. He had worked hard to increase his velocity to the lower 90s, and while he continued to learn the art of pitching and expand his repertoire, he helped lead the Jumbos to another ECAC New England title that spring.

Even with those gaudy statistics, Tags was determined to continue improving. As a senior, he somehow managed to record an even lower ERA -- a microscopic 1.41. He increased his strikeout ratio again to more than 10 per game, and once again, he played a key role in the team winning another ECAC New England championship.

Jeff may not have arrived at Tufts as a pro prospect…but with grit, determination, and hard work, he made himself into one. By the time he graduated, the question was not whether he would be drafted, but in what round.

A Red Sox scout at the time predicted that Tags would be taken in or around the 12th round. However, that prediction was made before Tags pitched in the New England College All-Star game. With dozens of scouts in attendance, Tags struck out three straight Division I players who were draft prospects. The scouts scrambled to learn more about this pitcher from Tufts, and in early June, Tags was selected in the 7th round of the MLB draft by the hometown Red Sox.

Pitching for the Single A Michigan Battlecats in just his second pro season, Tags saved 30 games and had a 1.89 ERA. He was promoted to AA ball in 1999 and was on a path to the Majors when he was hit with a serious injury. He tore his labrum while pitching for the Chattanooga Lookouts in the Southern League, but he continued pitching because the team was in a playoff race. Tags had his labrum repaired after the season and continued playing professionally until retiring in 2002. 

During his four years at Tufts, Tags was one of the best pitchers in all of college baseball. He finished his Tufts career with a 27-9 record and a 2.00 ERA. Tags was a workhorse, and almost 30 years later, his 274 career innings pitched still stands as the most in the history of Tufts Baseball. He also remains the Jumbos' all-time leader in single-season strikeouts (86) and in career strikeouts (258).

During his senior year, Tags was named an ABCA/Rawling Division III All-American, and Tufts recognized his amazing achievements with the Pop Houston Award for best male athlete.

Please join me in congratulating Jeff Taglienti and welcoming “Tags” into the Hall of Fame!