Press Releases

'Cats add pitching depth in pair of trades

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 6, 2019
CONTACT: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

GARY, IND. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats acquired four pitchers over the last two days in a pair of trades. On Monday, Gary acquired pitchers Jordan Cummings, Trevor Lubking, Matt Kostalos and cash from the Sussex County Miners of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am League) in exchange for outfielder D.K. Carey and catcher Andy Paz. On Tuesday, the RailCats acquired right-hander pitcher Chris Pennell from the Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League for a player to be named.

The RailCats also signed right-handed pitcher Justin Sinibaldi and had right-hander pitcher Adam Quintana sign with the Acereros del Norte of the Mexican Baseball League on Monday. Gary also had pitchers Peyton Sanderlin and Jack Fowler retire on Wednesday.

Cummings began the 2018 season with the Salina Stockade, going 0-4 with a 7.66 ERA in four starts. In 22.1 innings pitched, the right-hander allowed 24 runs (19 earned) on 24 hits and eight walks and struck out 19 hitters. Cummings then signed with the California City Whiptails of the PECOS League of Professional Baseball, finishing 2-1 with a 3.50 ERA in three starts. In 18 innings, Cummings allowed seven runs (six earned) on 20 hits and nine walks and struck out 20 batters. Cummings was then traded to Sussex County on June 29, and went 4-4 with one complete game and a 4.81 ERA in 11 starts. In 63.2 innings, Cummings yielded 36 runs (34 earned) on 71 hits and 20 walks and struck out 51 batters. Cummings began his professional baseball career in 2017 with the White Sands Pupfish of the Pecos League following his senior season at Winston-Salem State University in 2016. Cummings went 2-3 with his first career complete game shutout and a 5.63 ERA in nine starts. In 48 innings pitched, Cummings allowed 33 runs (30 earned) on 63 hits and 19 walks and struck out 52 hitters before getting traded to Salina on July 4, 2017. In 11 starts with the Stockade, Cummings allowed 52 runs (46 earned) on 66 hits and 37 walks and struck out 49 batters.

Lubking began the 2018 season with the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League and went 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA in seven games (two starts). In 11 innings pitched, the southpaw allowed 13 runs (12 earned) on 15 hits and eight walks and struck out 10 hitters. Lubking then signed with the 2018 Pacific Association Champion San Rafael Pacifics, going 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA in 12 relief appearances. In 18.1 innings pitched, Lubking yielded six runs (four earned) on seven hits and 16 walks and struck out 25 batters before signing with the Lincoln Saltdogs. In four relief appearances with the Saltdogs, Lubking finished without a record and a 1.93 ERA. In 4.2 innings, Lubking yielded one run on three hits and two walks and struck out 5 batters before getting traded to Sussex County on Dec. 25, 2018, as a part of a three-team trade with the Cleburne Railroaders. A native of Buckley, Wash., Lubking was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 14th round of the 2014 MLB Draft following his senior season at NCAA Division III Pacific Lutheran University. Lubking began his professional baseball career with the Princeton Rays of the Appalachian League (Rookie Affiliate) in the summer of 2014, going 2-4 with a 3.51 ERA in 12 games (10 starts). In 48.2 innings pitched, the southpaw allowed 24 runs (19 earned) on 44 hits and 10 walks and struck out 43 hitters. Lubking then signed a free agent minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on April 24, 2015. Lubking was assigned to the Arizona League Brewers (Rookie Affiliate) and went 0-1 with one save and a 6.10 ERA in seven relief appearances. In 10.1 innings pitched, Lubking allowed seven runs on 11 hits and six walks and struck out 14 hitters.

Kostalos began the 2018 season with the Rockland Boulders of the Can-Am League, going 1-3 with a 3.95 ERA in 39 relief appearances. In 41 innings pitched, Kostalos allowed 28 runs (18 earned) on 49 hits and 27 walks and struck out 27 batters. The right-hander was then claimed off waivers by Sussex County on Aug. 13, finishing 2-0 in eight relief appearances. In 12.1 innings pitched, Kostalos yielded two unearned runs on six hits and four walks and struck out 12 hitters. In 2017, Kostalos went 4-3 with two saves a 3.64 ERA in his second season with Rockland. Kostalos finished second on the club with 44 appearances and allowed 27 runs (22 earned) on 59 hits and 31 walks and struck out 42 hitters in 54.1 innings of relief. Kostalos signed his first professional baseball contract with Rockland in 2016 following  his senior season at St. Thomas Aquinas College. A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Kostalos went 1-1 with a 0.47 ERA in nine relief appearances. In 19.1 innings pitched, Kostalos yielded four runs (one earned) on 11 hits and eight walks and struck out 19 batters.

Pennell began his professional baseball career with Rockland in 2018 following his senior season at St. Thomas Aquinas College. Pennell went 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA in three starts with the Boulders. In 17.2 innings pitched, Pennell yielded six runs (five earned) on 14 hits and four walks and struck out 12 hitters before signing with Salina. In six games (three starts) with the Stockade, the right-hander went 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA. In 20.2 innings pitched, Pennell allowed eight runs (six earned) on 15 hits and seven walks and struck out 13 batters. Prior to getting acquired by Gary, Pennell was traded from Rockland to Schaumburg in exchange for infielder Collin Ferguson on Jan. 31.

Sinibaldi was acquired from the Lake Erie Crushers of the Frontier League on Nov. 12, 2018, to complete an earlier transaction between the two clubs. The right-hander went 3-4 with 10 saves and a 3.57 ERA in 30 games (nine starts) with Lake Erie last season. The 24-year-old led the Crushers with 17 games finished and was third on the team with a 71.1 first pitch strike percentage (FPS%). The third-year Crusher didn’t allow a hit in 8.1 consecutive innings between June 5th and June 20th and didn’t allow a run in 8.2 consecutive innings between June 5th and June 24th. In 68 innings, Sinibaldi yielded 27 earned runs on 77 hits and 25 walks and struck 55 batters. In 2017, Sinibaldi went 5-2 with a 3.15 ERA and led Lake Erie with 36 relief appearances, a 73.2 FPS% and had the lowest base on balls per nine innings (BB/9) at 1.950. Sinibaldi was also second on the team with 73 strikeouts and 10.95 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) in his second season with the Crushers. Sinibaldi began his professional baseball career in 2016 after signing with Lake Erie on June 21st following his senior year at Nicholls State University. In 12 games with Lake Erie, the right-hander went 1-5 with a 4.17 ERA and a save in 12 games (three starts). A native of Kenner, La., Sinibaldi was named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-Southland, First Team All Louisiana and was a member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher of the Year Watch List after leading the conference with 10 wins and a 1.40 ERA during his junior season in 2015. Sinibaldi also led the Nicholls State pitching staff as a junior in wins, ERA, complete games (two) and shutouts (two).

Carey signed his first Independent Professional Baseball (IPBF) contract with Gary on May 17, 2018, and slashed .311/.391/.420/ in 80 games. The outfielder led the RailCats with 10 multi-RBI games and finished with 38 runs, 80 hits, 17 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 38 RBIs, eight stolen bases and 33 walks. Prior to signing with Gary, Carey spent four seasons in the Washington Nationals minor league system, Class-A, Advanced, after getting selected by the Nationals in the seventh round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Miami University.

Paz signed his first Independent Professional Baseball (IPBF) contact with Gary on Jan. 25, 2018, and slashed .283/.320/.394 in 66 games. In 45 starts behind the plate, Paz threw out 23% (8/35) of baserunners. Offensively, Paz posted a team-and-career-high 18-game hitting streak and finished with 30 runs, 71 hits, 19 doubles, three triples, one home run, 40 RBIs, three stolen bases and 13 walks. Prior to signing with Gary, Paz spent seven seasons in the Oakland Athletics minor league system, reaching Double-A, after signing with Oakland as an international free agent on Nov. 20, 2010, at 17-years-old.

Quintana signed his first American Association contract with Gary on May 22, 2018, and went 2-2 with a 2.01 ERA and a team-high 12 saves and 22 games finished in 31 relief appearances. In 44.2 innings pitched, Quintana yielded 12 runs (10 earned) on 33 hits and 15 walks and struck out 60 batters. In 2017, Quintana signed his first Independent Professional Baseball contract with the Lake Erie Crushers, going 4-4 with a 4.37 ERA in 10 starts. In 55.2 innings pitched, Quintana allowed 34 runs (27 earned) on 51 hits and 24 walks and struck out 50 batters. Prior to starting his IPBF career, Quintana spent two seasons in the Texas Rangers minor league system, reaching Double-A, after signing with Texas as an undrafted free agent following the 2015 MLB Draft.

Fowler went 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA and seven holds and a save in a team-high-tying 33 relief appearances with Gary in 2018. In 43.1 relief innings, the southpaw allowed 22 runs (20 earned) on 44 hits and 10 walks and struck out 39 batters. In three separate stints with the RailCats in 2017, Fowler went 0-1 with a 4.45 ERA in 18 relief appearances. In 28.1 innings pitched, Fowler allowed 15 runs (14 earned) on 29 hits and eight walks and struck out 24 hitters. In 2016, Fowler pitched for the Watertown Bucks of the Empire League, going 2-2 with one complete game shutout and a 4.32 ERA in eight games (six starts). In 43.2 innings pitched, Fowler allowed 24 runs (21 earned) on 42 hits and 22 walks and struck out 34 batters. Fowler signed his first professional baseball contract with the Ottawa Champions of the Can-Am League following his senior year at Felician University, going 1-2 with a 7.48 ERA in nine games (one start). Later in the season Fowler signed with the Garden State Greys of the Can-Am League, finishing without a record and a 11.57 ERA in four relief appearances.

Sanderlin signed his first professional baseball contract with Gary on Aug. 23, 2018, and went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two starts. In 12.1 innings pitched, the 23-year-old true rookie yielded two runs on 10 hits and two walks and struck out eight hitters. Sanderlin recorded his first professional win in his first professional start with five shutout innings in game two of a doubleheader on Aug. 23 vs. the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and recorded the win in the RailCats final regular-season game on Sept. 3 vs. the Kansas City T-Bones after allowing two runs in a career-high 7.1 innings pitched.

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--

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