FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 8, 2019
CONTACT: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

GARY, IND. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats signed right-handed pitcher Christian DeLeon to his first American Association contract on Thursday.

De Leon signed his first Independent Professional Baseball contract (IPBF) with the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League in 2018 and went 7-5 with one complete game and a 4.17 ERA in 16 games (14 starts). In 77.2 innings pitched, De Leon allowed 38 runs (36 earned) on 72 hits and 23 walks and struck out 48 batters.

De Leon was named the Frontier League Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career for the week ending on July 22, 2018, after tossing seven scoreless innings on July 19 vs. the now defunct Traverse City Beach Bums. The right-hander yielded just one hit and two walks and struck out a career-high eight batters in the second longest start of his career. De Leon also didn’t allow a walk or run in both his relief appearances and recorded eight quality starts. Prior to signing with Florence, De Leon made one relief appearance (2.2 IP, 2 R/ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K) with the Melbourne Aces of the Australian Baseball League in 2017.

De Leon pitched the last two seasons of his collegiate baseball career at the University of Nebraska, going 12-6 with three complete games and a 2.86 ERA in 25 starts. In 173 career inning pitched, De Leon struck out 85 batters and allowed just 31 walks.

As a senior for the Cornhuskers in 2014, De Leon was named Second Team All-Big Ten after going 5-2 with two complete games and a 2.46 ERA in 11 starts. In 80 innings pitched, De Leon yielded 25 runs (22 earned) on 71 hits and 16 walks and struck out 39 batters. As a junior in 2013, De Leon was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and went 7-4 with one complete game and a 3.21 ERA in a team-high 14 starts. De Leon also led the Nebraska pitching staff with 92.2 innings pitched, 46 strikeouts and seven wins.

Prior to pitching at Nebraska, DeLeon pitched for Blinn Community College as a sophomore in 2012 and at North Central Texas College as a freshman in 2011. In 2012, De Leon went 3-5 with two saves and a 4.04 ERA in 15 relief appearances. In 49 innings pitched, De Leon allowed 32 runs (22 earned) on 53 hits and 14 walks and struck out 52 hitters.

Gary opens the 2019 regular season on Thursday, May 16th in Rosemont, Ill., against the Chicago Dogs at Impact Field. Ticket packages for the 2019 Gary SouthShore RailCats season are available online at railcatsbaseball.com and can also be purchased by calling the RailCats ticket line at (219) 882-BALL. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

--RAILCATS--