The Kansas City T-Bones and manager Andy McCauley have announced the signing of pitcher Luis Villarreal to a contract for the 2009 season.

Villarreal, 29, was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 20th round of the 2002 amateur draft.  After his release following the 2003 season, Villarreal spent three seasons in independent baseball, including two full seasons in the Northern League with Joliet, Winnipeg and St. Paul.  His finest moment came on August 6, 2005 with Joliet when he no-hit the T-Bones at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, Illinois.  It was the first no-hitter in the Northern League since 1999 and remains just the sixth nine-inning no-hitter in league history.

“We look for Luis to help bolster our starting rotation,” said McCauley.  “He has shown that he is a premium pitcher in this league and brings some well-traveled experience to our staff.”

Following a 2006 season in which he won the Northern League’s ERA title with a 2.71 mark over 89 and two-thirds innings, Villarreal split the 2007 season between the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies organizations.  Prior to his release from Triple-A Nashville, the left-hander posted a 1.93 ERA.  He joins the T-Bones following a 2008 season where he split time between St. Paul of the independent American Association and Saltillo of the Mexican League.

Single-game tickets for the 2009 exhibition and regular season go on sale to Wyandotte County residents on March 24 and to the general public on March 26.  Season tickets, group tickets, mini-plans and All-You-Can-Eat plans are on sale now.  For more information regarding T-Bones ticket options, call 913-328-5618 or visit www.tbonesbaseball.com