FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct 22, 2019

Contact: Ashley Nylen
[email protected]

GARY, Ind. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats announced today the Boston Red Sox purchased the contract of 27-year-old outfielder Colin Willis. Willis is the 36th RailCat to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization.

“As far as RailCats individual accomplishments, this ranks at the top,” said RailCats manager Greg Tagert. “There is no one more deserving of this opportunity than Colin.”

Willis was named the American Association All-Star Game MVP last season after leading the RailCats with ten home runs and was sixty RBIs. The Sheboygan, Wis. native, Willis hit .302 with 23 doubles, 60 RBIs and 16 stolen bases over 95 games during the 2019 season. Willis began his professional baseball career in Gary and was one of two players in franchise history to be named League Rookie of the Year in 2017. Throughout his American Association career Willis hit .297 with 1023 at bats, 27 home runs, 166 RBIs and 58 doubles in 293 games.

“His perseverance, work ethic, commitment has been second to none. I would not be surprised to see him play at the highest level.,” said Tagert. “More importantly, he’s been an outstanding representative of the RailCats organization and continues a long-line of what our franchise is all about.”

Willis, a four-year starter at Purdue University-North Central is a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He ranked as a single-season leader at the university with 93 hits, 65 runs, 28 stolen baseballs and eight triples. Willis was also named Co-MVP of the Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League in 2014 after hitting .403 with 45 runs, 58 hits and 26 RBIs with the Sheboygan A’s.

Ticket packages for the 2020 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.

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