FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 27, 2018
Contact: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

GARY, Ind. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats announced the trade of outfielder Joey Havrilak to the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League in exchange for a player to be named later on Monday.

Havrilak batted .250 with a .348 on-base percentage, three doubles, one triple, five RBIs and a stolen base in 13 games (10 starts) with the RailCats after signing his first Independent Professional Baseball contract on August 20th, 2017. Havrilak began his IPBF career on a five-game hitting streak and eight-game on-base streak and recorded a season-high five RBIs on August 27th against the Kansas City T-Bones. Havrilak went 1-for-3 with a walk in his IPBF debut on August 20th against Kansas City and recorded his first multi-hit game in just his second start with Gary (3-for-4, two runs, triple, walk).

Havrilak began his professional baseball career in 2015 after getting selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 18th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of the University of Akron. As a redshirt-senior in 2015, Havrilak was named First Team All Mid-American Conference after leading Akron in batting average (.347), on-base percentage (.436), slugging percentage (.507), stolen bases (17), runs (57), home runs (five), walks (32) and starts (58). Havrilak appeared in five games with the Gulf Coast League Tigers (Rookie Ball) before getting promoted to the Connecticut Tigers (Class-A, Short Season). In 52 games with Connecticut, Havrilak hit .213 with 24 runs, five doubles, four triples, four home runs, 17 RBIs and a stolen base.

Havrilak was named a New York-Penn League Midseason All-Star after opening the 2016 campaign with Connecticut. A native of Washington, Penn., Havrilak batted .270 with a .376 on-base percentage, 31 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 24 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 45 games before getting promoted to the West Michigan Whitecaps. In 23 games with the Whitecaps, Havrilak hit .267 with a .345 on-base percentage, nine runs, three doubles, two triples, 10 RBIs and four stolen bases.

The Gary SouthShore RailCats open the 2018 season at U.S. Steel Yard on Friday, May 18th vs. the St. Paul Saints. Ticket packages for the 2018 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.