Atholton High School graduate Steve Lombardozzi grew up in Fulton and has the distinction of playing for both of his hometown major league clubs.
He was drafted out of a Florida junior college in 2008 and played for the Nationals from 2011 to 2013. In 2014, he played 20 games with the Orioles.
“I wanted to play in the big leagues [while at Atholton]. To be so close to home is surreal,” he said his rookie season.
A switch hitter who can play the infield and outfield, Lombardozzi played in 12 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he hit .282 in 97 games.
On Oct. 26, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox, whose spring training home is in Arizona.
For Lombardozzi, athletics run in the family. His father, also named Steve, was the second baseman for the World Series champion Minnesota Twins in 1987. His sister, Toni, played soccer at River Hill High School. (Dave Arrigo/Pittsburgh Pirates / )
The odds of going from the local high school fields to the pro ranks are slim. But a lucky few growing up in Howard County beat the odds. We found out what some of our hometown sports stars are up to now.