03/07/2006 4:34 PM - The Kansas City T-Bones added some pop to their 2006 lineup this afternoon, as the club announced the signing of infielder Blake Whealy. A 13th-round pick in the 2002 draft, Whealy comes to Kansas City from the New York Mets organization, where he hit .259 with 57 home runs and 219 RBI over the past four seasons.

“We couldn’t pass him up,” T-Bones’ manager "Dirty" Al Gallagher said. “He’s a right-handed hitter with a great deal of power. He was made to play in this park.”

Whealy, who played collegiately at the University of Evansville, registered 10 homers and 36 RBI in 88 games for Class A Advanced St. Lucie in 2005. The 25-year-old Texas native produced his best season in 2004, when he hit 23 round-trippers and drove in 82 runs for the Capital City Bombers of the Class A South Atlantic League.

Whealy becomes the fifteenth T-Bone under contract for the 2006 season, and is the ninth newcomer to sign with the Kansas City club this off-season.