GARY, IND. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats announced the Boston Red Sox purchased the contract of 26-year-old outfielder Edgar Corcino on Wednesday. Corcino is the 34th different RailCat to have his contract purchased by an MLB franchise and the first since 2017 RailCats shortstop/American Association All-Star Ryan Fitzgerald had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox on May 3, 2018.

“Certainly, a short sample period, but most importantly for us, Edgar’s work ethic and personality has been A+,” said RailCats Manager Greg Tagert. “From day one he fit what we try to be all about. The expectations in the clubhouse and how our players conduct themselves as a professional were exceeded by Edgar.”

Corcino was 4-for-16 with two RBIs, a double, a run, a hit by pitch and three walks in five games with the RailCats before having his contract purchased. “It’s been a pleasure playing for Greg with this group,” said Corcino. “I’ll be going to Hi-A (Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League) and am just glad I got the opportunity.”

Corcino joins his third Major League Affiliate (Detroit Tigers, 2009-12; Minnesota Twins, 2015-2018) and Fitzgerald in Salem. Fitzgerald signed his first professional baseball contract with Gary before the start of the 2017 season and is slashing .302/.397/.409/.806 with 45 hits (13 extra-base hits), 18 runs, 30 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 42 games with the Salem Red Sox.

Corcino began his professional baseball career in 2009 at 17-years-old after getting selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 26th round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of Adolfina Irizarry De Puig High School in Puerto Rico. Drafted out of high school as a third baseman, Corcino played his first two seasons with the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Tigers. In ‘09, Corcino slashed .160/.276/.320 with one home run, four RBIs, two runs and a double in eight games. In 2010, Corcino slashed .218/.284/.253 with nine RBIs, eight runs, three doubles and two stolen bases in 27 games. Corcino opened the 2011 season with the GCL Tigers before getting promoted to the Connecticut Tigers (Class-A, Short Season) of the New York-Penn League after slashing .201/.296/.339 with five home runs, 15 RBIs, 23 runs, nine doubles and three stolen bases over 51 games. In six games with Connecticut, Corcino slashed .278/.316/.333/ with an RBI, a run and a double.

In 2012, Corcino saw time with four of the Tigers affiliates. Corcino began the year with Lake-land Flying Tigers (Class-A Advanced) of the Florida State League. In two games with the Flying Tigers, Corcino went 2-for-5 with a home run and a double before getting reassigned to Connecticut. In 42 games with Connecticut, Corcino slashed .179/.264/.300 with one home run, 12 RBIs, two doubles, six triples, 21 runs and four stolen bases over 42 games before getting promoted to the West Michigan Whitecaps (Class-A) of the Midwest League. In 19 games with the Whitecaps, Corcino slashed .219/.278/.342 with two home runs, six RBIs, one double, one triple and nine runs before getting promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A) of the International League. Corcino went 1-for-4 in three games with Toledo.

Corcino began his Independent Professional Baseball (IPBF) career in 2013. In 33 games with the now defunct El Paso Diablos of the American Association, Corcino slashed .232/.313/.384 with two home runs, 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples and 12 runs before getting traded to the now defunct Rockford Aviators of the Frontier League. In 58 games with Rockford, Corcino slashed a career-best .312/.384/.482 with six home runs, 28 RBIs, 13 doubles, 34 runs and nine stolen bases. Corcino returned to Rockford in 2014, slashing .302/.351/.456 with a career-best 11 home runs, and 63 runs, 51 RBIs, 12 doubles, six triples and 10 stolen bases in a franchise-record 95 games before having his contract purchased by the Minnesota Twins on Jan. 15, 2015. Corcino spent all of 2015 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Class-A) of the Midwest League, slashing .273/.340/.376 with four home runs, 41 RBIs, 16 doubles, three triples, 38 runs and nine stolen bases in 84 games.

In 2016, Corcino was named a Florida State League All-Star with the Fort Myers Miracle (Class-A Advanced) after slashing .266/.340/.419 with six home runs, 32 RBIs, 13 doubles, five triples, 41 runs and six stolen bases over 74 games before getting promoted to the Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A) of the Southern League. In 50 games with Chattanooga, Corcino slashed .284/.333/.421 with two home runs, 27 RBIs, six doubles, six triples, 26 runs and one stolen base. Corcino returned to the Chattanooga in 2017 and was named both a Mid-Season and Postseason All-Star after slashing .302/.361/.399 with six home runs, 50 RBIs, a career-high 19 doubles, one triple, 54 runs and four stolen bases in 102 games before getting promoted to the Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A) of the International League. In 20 games with Rochester, Corcino slashed .224/.237/.276 with a double, a triple, two runs and three RBIs in 20 games.

Corcino opened the 2018 campaign with Chattanooga again and slashed .264/.338/.433 with five home runs, 14 doubles, three triples, 32 RBIs, 32 runs and three stolen bases in 50 games before getting promoted to Rochester. In 29 games with the Red Wings, Corcino slashed .261/.290/.398 with two home runs, six RBIs, four doubles, one triple and eight runs in 29 games.

The RailCats also announced left-hander pitcher Braulio Torres-Perez signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League and signed utility man Morgan Blatnik to his first American Association contract.

Torres-Perez finished without a record and posted a 0.00 ERA over three relief appearances in his third stint with Gary. Torres-Perez was claimed off waivers the Milwaukee Milkmen on May 14th and allowed two unearned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six in five innings pitched.

A native of Federal Way, Wash., Torres-Perez signed his first professional baseball contract with Gary in 2016 following his senior season at Bellevue University. As a senior at Bellevue, Torres-Perez was named an NSAA Gold Glove Award Winner and First Team All-NSAA after going 11-1 with a 2.92 ERA and 95 strikeouts. In two games with the ‘Cats, Torres-Perez went 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA. Torres-Perez retired the only batter he faced in his professional baseball debut on July 25 against the Kansas City T-Bones and recorded a no-decision in his first American Association start on July 31 against the now defunct Wichita Wingnuts. The left-hander was then traded to Florence on August 4 in exchange for a player to be named later. In seven games (five starts) with the Freedom, Torres-Perez went 4-0 with a 3.21 ERA and a save. Torres-Perez recorded his first career quality start in his second start with Florence against Gateway on August 14 and went on to record a quality start in four of his first five starts.

The southpaw split the 2017 campaign between Gary and Florence, finishing 11-5 with one complete game shutout and a 4.88 ERA in 25 games (19 starts). 2017 also marked a career-year for Torres-Perez, who posted a career-best 11 wins, 25 games, 19 starts, 123.2 innings pitched and 100 strikeouts. Torres-Perez opened the year with Gary and went 5-3 with a 5.27 ERA in 15 games (10 starts) with the RailCats. Torres-Perez made his first five appearances with Gary out of the bullpen and recorded the win in his season debut on May 21 (Game 2) against the St. Paul Saints after yielding just two hits and a walk while striking out three hitters over 2.1 scoreless innings. After not allowing a run in three of his first five relief outings, Torres-Perez permanently moved to the starting rotation on June 3. Torres-Perez recorded his first win as a starter on June 7 vs. the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks after allowing an unearned run on two hits and three walks while striking out three hitters over six innings. Torres-Perez continued to pitch well in June, and was named the American Association Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career for the week ending on June 25th. In two starts during the week of June 19 through June 25, Torres-Perez went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 13 innings pitched. Torres-Perez was then traded from Gary to Florence on July 18 for a player to be named later. In 10 games (nine starts) with the Freedom, the southpaw went 6-2 with his first career complete game shutout and a 3.26 ERA. Torres-Perez recorded the win in his season debut with Florence on July 20 against the Schaumburg Boomers after striking out a career-high 10 batters over seven innings of three-run ball. Torres-Perez went on to record a quality start in six of his first seven starts with Florence and tossed his first career complete game shutout on August 11 vs. Gateway.

Last year, Torres-Perez went 4-7 with one complete game and a 3.86 ERA in 22 games (nine starts) between the Rierleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican League and the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League. The 26-year-old southpaw opened the season with Aguascalientes and went 0-1 with one game finished and a 5.79 ERA in 13 relief appearances. Torres-Perez didn’t allow a baserunner to reach base in his first two appearances with Aguascalientes before returning to the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League on July 6. Torres-Perez was then dealt from Florence to Windy City for a player to be named later on July 13. In nine starts with Windy City, Torres-Perez finished 3-6 with one complete game and a 4.78 ERA. Torres-Perez recorded the win in his season debut on July 17 vs. the Gateway Grizzlies after allowing one run on five hits and four walks and struck out eight batters in six innings pitched.

Blatnik began his professional baseball career in 2014 and split the season between the Fort Worth Cats of the United League and the Roswell Invaders of the PECOS League. Between the two clubs, Blatnik slashed .263/.391/.316/.707 with 10 hits, six runs and eight RBIs in 11 games.

After not playing professional baseball in 2015, Blatnik signed with the Salina Stockade of the PECOS League in 2016. In 62 games, Blatnik started games at five different positions and slashed .289/.418/.399/.817 with 66 hits (15 extra-base hits) four home runs, nine doubles, two triples, 57 runs, 22 RBIs, 30 and a career-high 30 stolen bases. In 2017, Blatnik signed with the Garden City Wind of the PECOS League and slashed .278/.484/.345/.829 with 54 hits (10 extra-base hits), eight doubles, one triple, one home run, 53 runs, 26 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. Last year, Blatnik signed with the Pitsburg Diamond of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs (PACA) and slashed .264/.468/.362/.830 with a career-high five home runs, 40 RBIs nine hit by pitches and three sacrifice flies in 74 games.

Gary and Sioux City conclude their three-game series on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. Southpaw Trevor Lubking (1-0, 0.00) makes his home debut for the ‘Cats against X’s RHP Zach Jemiola (0-1, 8.31) in the rubber game.

Thursday’s game is the first Gerber Collision & Glass Thursday and Thirsty Thursday of the year. Every Thirsty Thursday includes $1.50 domestic drafts, $3 select premium drafts and $1 hot dogs. Be sure to visit any Northwest Indiana Gerber Collision & Glass location for complimentary tickets Thursday’s game also features a free magnet schedule giveaway, presented by Northwest Indiana Orthopedic and Spine Center at Methodist Hospitals.

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--