John Hussey - 2012-13 Melbourne Aces

Victorian born Hussey has had an interesting career with the San Diego Padres organisation. He commenced playing Rookie level ball for the Padres in 2005 at the age of 18, and bounced around Rookie and A level teams until 2010 (minus a year off for Tommy John surgery in 2008). By the end of 2010, no longer enjoying baseball, he opted to walk out on the Padres and to head to University full time. The Padres didn't actually release him from his contract, but, unknown to Hussey, they put him onto a "Restricted List", meaning that they were still going to hold on to his rights in case he ever changed his mind.

Hussey played with the Melbourne Aces, making his ABL debut during the 2012-13 ABL season, at which time he started enjoying playing semi-professional baseball again. After being told by scouts that the Padres still had him on their Restricted List, he contacted the Padres, and they accepted him back into the fold.. He started out 2013 playing for the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the A level Midwest league before being called up to play for the Lake Elsinore Storm in the high A level California League.

My photo of Hussey was a salvage job - I only had one poor photo of him from during the season, and this is the best I could do with it.

2012-13 Melbourne Aces John Hussey card front - © 2013 Adam East