This week in Catching up with the Bucks we are taking a look back at former first baseman Andy Schutzenhefer. Schutzenhefer played for the Bucks in the 2001 season. At the time, he was attending the University of Illinois. He is originally from Belleville, IL.

Schutzenhefer played in 59 games for the Bucks in 2001 with 262 plate appearances. The lefty finished with a very solid .288 batting average while putting up a .379 on-base percentage. Schutzenhefer also had 31 RBI and scored another 28 runs. While he didn’t have any homers, he did put 12 doubles and finished with a slugging percentage of .341. That season, Schutzenhefer helped win the first half for the Bucks and led the team to an overall record of 37-27.

While at Illinois, Schutzenhefer was a two-time Big Ten all-star and finished with a career average of .355. He also finished his Illinois career with an impressive .449 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .471.

After this time with the Bucks and at Illinois, Schutzenhefer signed as an undrafted free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals. His first, 2003, was spent in Johnson City with the Rookie League team and then with their A+ Palm Beach club. Schutzenhefer hit over .315 at both locations and had an OPS over .850. In 2004, he played the entire season in Palm Beach, hitting .292 with 56 RBI and scoring 65 runs. In 2005, he started again in Palm Beach and was called up about halfway through the season to play for AA Springfield. Here, he hit .269  with nine doubles and 17 RBI. 2005 was his final year playing professional baseball.

We will always remember Andy Schutzenhefer as a great Waterloo Buck and wish him the best in all that he does in the future.