Tino Martinez
Tino Martinez was born and raised in West Tampa and attended Tampa Catholic High School for 9th and 10th grades, before transferring to and graduating from Jefferson High School. Tino led both of his high schools to state baseball championships.
After graduating from High School, Tino enrolled at the University of Tampa, where he played college baseball for the University of Tampa Spartans. Tino played three years for the University of Tampa and was an All-American each year. As of 2011, Tino still held school records in career home runs (54), career batting average (.399), career slugging percentage (.736), single season batting average (.452) and single season slugging percentage (.957). Tino was played on the 1988 Summer Olympics team and won a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
In 1988, he was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, which has never been given to any NCAA Division II player. One year after graduating he was inducted into the University of Tampa's athletics hall of fame. Since 2010, the Tino Martinez Award has been given to the most outstanding NCAA Division II baseball player. In 2013, Martinez was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Tino, formerly a third baseman, was the first round draft pick for the Seattle Mariners in 1988 out of the University of Tampa. Tino played for the New York Yankees from 1996- 2001, and won four World Series championships in five seasons: 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. He also won the Home Run Derby in 1997.
Tino went on to play two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, and one season with then the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before returning for one more season with the New York Yankees in 2005.
During his 16-year MLB career, he scored 1,009 runs, drove in 1,271 runs, and hit 339 home runs. He had 100 or more RBI in six different seasons and was twice named to the All-Star team before retiring from Major League Baseball in 2006.
EJ Cumbo
EJ Cumbo attended the University of Tampa, graduating in 2022 with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and 2024 with a M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology while also competing for the nationally ranked University of Tampa Spartans Baseball Program.
During his athletic career, EJ amassed numerous accolades, including; National Champion (2024), 3x All-American, Three Player of the Year Awards and the Division II All-Time hits leader.
Drew Ehrhard
Drew Ehrhard is a Tampa native who attended Wharton High School and was inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps and play baseball at the University of Tampa. His dad, Rodney Ehrhard, was inducted into UT Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016 for his baseball career with the Spartans.
While playing for the UT Baseball team, Drew obtained a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management, a masters in Entrepreneurship and began work on a second masters in Instructional Design Technology. During his six 6 seasons (2018-2023) with UT Baseball he reached many milestones. As a freshman, Drew started all 53 games and received an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove at second base, becoming the first freshman in program history to be awarded a Gold Glove. As a sophomore he was part of the 2019 National Championship team. He went on to become the program’s leader in games played, at-bats, and hits, along with setting the hit record for the Sunshine State Conference. After leaving UT, Drew was honored to be the inaugural recipient of the Hindman Wall Spartan Warrior Award in 2024.
Following his collegiate baseball career, Drew began to pursue coaching in the sport he was so passionate about. The summer before his final year at University of Tampa he had the opportunity to play in the Cape Cod League. After his time as a player, he was invited back the following summer as an assistant coach with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. While working in The Cape, he was offered a free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox. Drew was signed in the summer of 2023 as a catcher and played in High A and Double AA last season.
Drew takes great pride in being a native of the Tampa Bay Area and an alumni of The University of Tampa. He looks for any opportunity to give back to the city and the school and remains committed to making a difference in the baseball community and beyond.
Paul Sullivan
Paul Sullivan graduated from the University of Tampa in 2023 with a Master of Arts in Professional Communication. During his time there, he was a Right-Handed Pitcher on the varsity baseball team. Prior to that, Paul attended Iona University in New York, where he pitched for the baseball team and earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a minor in Finance.
Before transitioning into the wealth management industry, Paul was a Managing Partner at Elevate Sports Media for two years, where he cultivated his passion for athlete marketing. Since completing his master’s degree in August 2023, Paul has been growing his clientele, working with professional athletes, business owners, entrepreneurs, and young professionals at Unique Wealth located in the Tampa Bay Area. His goal is to provide comprehensive financial guidance while building strong, lasting relationships with his clients.
Paul is also actively involved in the Tampa Bay community, serving as Events Chair on the board of the Tampa Bay Alumni Council, providing private pitching lessons to children aged 9 and older, and sitting on the board of the Turner Syndrome Foundation. He is always looking to connect with professionals from various industries in the Tampa Bay area—so feel free to reach out.
Ozzie Timmons
Timmons attended Brandon High School in Brandon, Florida, and the University of Tampa, where he played college baseball for the Tampa Spartans He was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round of the 1991 MLB draft.
Timmons made his MLB debut with the Cubs on April 26, 1995. Timmons major league career included time with the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, and the Tampa Bay Rays organizations.
Following his major league playing days, he began his coaching career as the hitting coach for the Tampa Bay Rays‘ Triple-A affiliate Durham Bulls. Timmons was then promoted in 2018 to become the Tampa Bay Rays first base coach. Timmons also spent time as the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Jordan Lala
Jordan Lala is a former collegiate baseball standout at the University of Miami and University of Tampa who has successfully transitioned into the world of hospitality and personal training. A graduate of the University of Tampa, Lala earned recognition for his performance on the baseball field, including being named an All-American and winning a Gold Glove award for his defensive skills.
After his baseball career, Jordan shifted gears and entered the hospitality industry, where he now works for a company that manages a portfolio of 62 Airbnb properties. In his role, Lala leverages his strong leadership and organizational skills to help run and grow the business, ensuring guests and homeowners have positive experiences.
In addition to his career in hospitality, Jordan is passionate about giving back to the sport that shaped his life. He serves as a personal trainer for young baseball players, mentoring them on everything from skill development to mindset, and helping them reach their full potential both on and off the field.
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