Detroit Tigers Purchase Minor League Contract of Former UIC Outfielder Curtis Granderson

Sept. 13, 2004

Detroit, Mich. - The Detroit Tigers announced on Sunday morning that they have purchased the minor league contract of former University of Illinois at Chicago outfielder Curtis Granderson (Lynwood, Ill./T.F. South) from the Class AA Erie Seawolves.

Granderson, who helped the Seawolves to the Eastern League playoffs, finished his minor league season batting .301 with 21 home runs and a team-best 94 RBI. He also led Erie with 139 hits, 89 runs, eight triples and 237 total bases.

Granderson was ranked in several Eastern League offensive categories as well, including: on-base percentage (2nd, .405), runs (t-3rd), triples (t-3rd), RBI (4th), batting average (t-9th) and hits (t-9th).

During his junior season at UIC, Granderson enjoyed an outstanding campaign finishing second in the nation with a school-record, batting average of .483. He also broke the single-season, school-records in both hits (100), runs scored (76) and the career record for runs scored with 178.