Agreste signs free agent deal with San Diego Padres

By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Former West Virginia University and Potomac State College baseball player Joe Agreste has signed a free-agent deal with the San Diego Padres.

"I'm very excited and grateful for the opportunity to play in the San Diego Padres organization," Agreste said. "I've worked hard to have the chance to play for a Major League Baseball organization, and I cannot wait to begin my career with San Diego."

Agreste, who played first base at West Virginia from 2008-09, is coming off a season in which he was named the Gateway Grizzlies Newcomer of the Year. Agreste batted .303 with five home runs, 33 RBIs, 18 doubles, four triples and 35 runs scored for the Independent-League squad.

As a result of his productive season, the Chesapeake, Va., native was named the seventh-best Independent League prospect by Baseball America on Oct. 20.

In his two-year career at WVU, Agreste batted .314 with 11 home runs, 96 RBIs, 30 doubles, eight triples and 118 hits in 105 games. He earned all-Big East third team honors in 2008, and was an integral part of WVU's recording-breaking 2009 team that set school marks for batting average (.360), RBIs (491), doubles (161), extra base hits (242) and runs scored (525).

The junior college transfer also had two productive seasons at Potomac State from 2006-07. Agreste had a .357 career batting average with 15 home runs, 97 RBIs, 18 doubles and nine triples.

Agreste joins former Mountaineer teammate Vince Belnome as members of the San Diego Padres organization. Three other players from last seasonýs team are also with Major League ballclubs, including fifth-round draft pick Tobias Streich (Minnesota Twins), Billy Gross (Baltimore Orioles) and Austin Markel (Florida Marlins).