FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Former Nova Southeastern star Carlos Asuaje became the latest Shark to make the leap to the Major Leagues, receiving the call of a lifetime to join the San Diego Padres late Tuesday night.
 
Asuaje landed in the Padres farm system as one of the key pieces sent in a deal that shipped All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel to the Boston Red Sox last mid-November, and batted .321 with nine home runs, 69 RBIs and 98 runs scored en route to Pacific Coast League (PCL) Rookie of the Year honors in his first season at Triple-A El Paso.
 
"Carlos' accomplishment of being called up to the big leagues is a culmination of his passion, determination, and development," said Nova Southeastern head coach Greg Brown. "We have seen him grow season after season and he has been a great example as to what can be achieved when you have a laser focus.  His impact on our program, as a student-athlete and as a professional, has helped carve what has become the Shark Way.  We are all very proud of 'Los' and know that his sights are set on not only making it to the big leagues, but becoming an everyday player."
 
Three years removed from his playing days at Nova Southeastern, Asuaje helped the Chihuahuas clinch their first PCL championship this past Saturday with a 4-3 win in extra innings over the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The title is the first for a Padres Triple-A affiliate since 1988 and El Paso's first professional baseball championship since 1994.
 
Asuaje, 24, was selected by the Red Sox in the 11^th round of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft. During his career in the minors, the left-handed hitting second baseman has batted a combined .292 with 33 homers and 251 RBIs, including 15 long balls and 101 RBIs at the Single-A level in 2014.  
 
As a member of the Sharks, Asuaje was a three-time all-region selection and named second team All-American by ABCA/Rawlings, the NCBWA, and Daktronics and Co-Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2012. His career numbers currently rank among the Top-5 of 14 statistical categories at NSU.
 
The Padres square off against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight at 9:10 p.m. ET.