July 8, 2009
IOWA CITY – – University of Iowa graduating senior Justin Toole has signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians. Toole joins Hawkeye pitchers Steve Turnbull, Mike Schurz and Kyle Heim to sign pro contracts this year. Turnbull signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, Schurz with the Houston Astros and Heim with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Despite missing the last quarter of the season due to injury, Toole posted a solid .346 batting average with 31 runs scored, 13 doubles and 15 stolen bases. He was named to the 2009 pre-season third all-America team by Ping!, as well as to the Brooks Wallace Watch List.
In his four years at Iowa, Toole was named a third team all-Big ten selection twice, was a two-time first team all-region player and a two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree. The native of Council Bluffs, IA, earned himself a spot in the Iowa record book several times in 2008. He established the school record with a 25-game hit streak, scattered 87 hits to place second in Iowa single-season history, scored 63 runs to place eighth in Iowa single-season annals and stole 24 bases to rank 12th in Iowa single-season history. On top of that, Toole went a perfect 5-for-5 against UNI at the 2008 Corridor Classic to tie the single-game hits record at Iowa.