KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City T-Bones announced they have signed pitcher Travis Garcia to a contract for the 2016 season. Garcia attended the T-Bones’ open tryout on April 23.

Garcia, 27 (03-31-89), is a 5-foot-10 and 190-pound right hander out of Brentwood, Tenn. He started his professional career as a 36th round selection by the Chicago Cubs in the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Martin Methodist College. He played in only 14 games that season in the Cubs’ organization as a second baseman, third baseman and outfielder. Although he hasn’t pitched professionally, Garcia was a pitcher at Martin Methodist. He has spent the last four seasons playing in a wood-bat league in Nashville, Tenn.

“Travis is a perfect example of why we hold an open tryout each season,” said T-Bones vice-president and general manager Chris Browne. “Since Travis hasn’t played professionally since 2011, he hasn’t been on teams’ radars, but he used that time to work on his pitching in a wood bat league, and then came out and impressed our coaches during the tryout.”

Garcia started his collegiate career at nearby Maple Woods Community College, before transferring to Columbia State (Tenn.) Community College and then Martin Methodist.

“Minor league baseball is about keeping dreams alive, making the jump to the next step,” Browne added. “Our tryouts are the perfect vehicle to provide that opportunity. This is exciting.”

Garcia is the first T-Bones player signed out of an open tryout since Beau Stoker in 2012.

In other moves, the T-Bones have released pitcher Ryan Taylor and outfielder Adam Bailey.

The T-Bones open the 2016 exhibition season on Monday, May 9, and then the regular season at home on May 19 against Texas.