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FORMER NO. 3 PICK SIGNED!

(March 10, 2020, York, Pa.) — Infielder Josh Vitters, right-handed reliever Hector Nelo, and outfielder Frankie Jezioro will call PeoplesBank Park home in 2020. The York Revolution’s latest signings were announced by manager Mark Mason live on Monday’s Revs Hot Stove Weekly presented by Shipley Energy on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 AM WOYK.

Vitters, 30, enters his 12th season of professional baseball. A first round pick in the 2007 MLB Draft, Vitters was selected 3rd overall by the Chicago Cubs out of Cypress (CA) High School, where he was an All-America selection, the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in California, and a member of Team USA (16U) during his prep days. The righty had committed to Arizona State University but elected to sign professionally, spending six seasons in the Cubs minor league system before receiving the call up to the Majors in 2012. Vitters played in 36 games for Chicago during the 2012 season, totaling 12 big league hits, including a pair of home runs while sharing time at Triple-A Iowa.

After eight years in the Cubs organization, Vitters’ first taste of the Atlantic League came in 2016 when he signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish. With the Bluefish, the 6-foot-2 infielder batted .226/.302/.343 with 60 hits, five home runs, and 25 RBI across 80 games. Vitters also has experience playing in the American Association (2017 with Sioux City) and the Canadian-American Association (2018 with Quebec). The Anaheim, CA, native is a career .262 hitter with 867 hits, 298 extra base hits (97 home runs), and 347 RBI across 927 career games.

“I remember Josh when he played against us, and he’s a big league hitter,” said Mason. “He’s healthy now and says he feels incredible, and I know in our ballpark the way he swings the bat, he can do a lot of damage here. We were excited to get him, and he’s really amped up and ready to play.”

Nelo, 33, joins the Revolution after spending time in the Puerto Rican Winter League this off-season. Playing for Gigantes de Carolina, Nelo earned a 3.38 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 14 games. The 12-year pro was originally a 15th round pick by the Texas Rangers in the 2007 MLB Draft. Nelo spent four seasons in the Rangers system, reaching High-A Bakersfield. The right-handed reliever went on to reach Double-A Harrisburg with the Washington Nationals, where he was named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star in 2012, earning the honor with 16 saves, a 2.73 ERA, and 63 strikeouts in 47 games. Following his excellent season in Harrisburg, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Nelo in the Rule 5 Draft the following season. At Double-A Chattanooga, Nelo went 5-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 45 appearances, striking out 50 in 60.2 innings. Nelo split 2014 with the Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds organizations, where he also pitched at the Double-A level (Pensacola).

Nelo first appeared in the Atlantic League with Southern Maryland, making two appearances late in the 2014 season. The 6-foot-1 righty spent the next three years in the Canadian-American Association, where he posted ERAs of 2.00 and 2.45 in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In his career, Nelo is 19-30 with a 4.16 ERA with 483 strikeouts in 504.2 innings. Originally from Maracay, Venezuela, Nelo attended both high school (Coral Park) and college (St. Thomas University) in Miami before being drafted.

“I was happy with all the things I had heard, and then I was able to watch some video of him,” commented Mason. “He’s got a really good fastball, lots of velocity.”

Jezioro enters his first professional baseball season. The switch hitter finished a stellar collegiate career for Slippery Rock University in 2019. In his senior season, Jezioro started and played in all 43 games as the Rock’s starting center fielder. He earned All-PSAC West honors with a .355 average, eight home runs, and 24 RBI. The 5-foot-11 outfielder led SRU in hits, doubles, stolen bases, and walks. His bat and speed found its place all over the record book at Slippery Rock, as Jezioro is 8th all-time in stolen bases (46), 10th in home runs (19), and 10th in games started (169).

“He was at a lot of camps this off-season and was the fastest player at the camps,” said Mason. “He’s a switch-hitter with power, hard-nosed type of guy. There were a lot of glowing reports, and we’re looking forward to giving him an opportunity to see what he can do here.”

The Revs will unveil more signings each week on Revs Hot Stove Weekly presented by Shipley Energy on SportsRadio 98.9 FM and 1350 WOYK. The next airing will be on Monday, March 16, at 6 p.m., and available online at www.989woyk.com and on The New WOYK app.

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