Rico Brogna was a professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues for nine seasons. He was born on April 18, 1970, in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and attended Watertown High School in Watertown, Connecticut. After high school, Brogna was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 1988 MLB draft.
Brogna made his Major League debut with the Tigers in 1992, playing in 11 games and hitting .250. He spent the next two seasons with the Tigers, playing in a total of 182 games and hitting .246 with 18 home runs and 83 RBI.
In 1995, Brogna was traded to the New York Mets, where he played for three seasons. He had his best season in 1998, hitting .312 with 22 home runs and 90 RBI. He was also named to the National League All-Star team that year.
After the 1998 season, Brogna was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he played for two seasons. He hit .312 with 24 home runs and 104 RBI in his first season with the Phillies, but his production dropped off in his second season, and he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in 2000.
Brogna played in just 31 games for the Braves in 2000, hitting .219 with two home runs and 10 RBI. He was released by the Braves after the season and signed with the Boston Red Sox for the 2001 season. He played in just 18 games for the Red Sox, hitting .247 with one home run and six RBI, before being released in June.
Brogna retired from baseball after the 2001 season, finishing his career with a .269 batting average, 106 home runs, and 458 RBI in 848 games. After his playing career, Brogna worked as a broadcaster for the New York Mets and as a coach in the minor leagues.
Overall, Brogna had a solid career in the Major Leagues, with his best season coming in 1998 with the Mets. He was known for his power hitting and his ability to play both first base and the outfield. While he never won any major awards or championships, he was a consistent performer throughout his career and was a valuable member of several teams.
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