CLEBURNE, Texas (Apr. 1, 2019) – The Cleburne Railroaders announced Monday the signing of right-handed pitcher Charles “Bubby” Rossman. 

 

Rossman, 26, comes to Cleburne with four years of professional experience, three in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. The 6’5, 220 pounder last played in 2017 with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association, making 20 relief appearances with a 4.54 ERA. In 35.2 innings, Rossman allowed 35 hits, striking out 30 while issuing 23 walks. The righty finished ten games for the Explorers, recording one save. His longest outing while with Sioux City came in his only appearance against the Railroaders, as Rossman tossed four innings and allowed just two unearned runs on August 9, 2017.

 

“Bubby is a tremendous natural athlete who checks all the boxes as far as what we’re looking for in a back-end of the bullpen arm,” manager Brent Clevlen said. “Throughout his career he’s allowed less than a hit per inning, with good strikeout numbers to back it up. He’ll come in to camp with a chance to fight for a relief spot, and we think he has the ability to get some very important outs for us.”

 

For most of his collegiate career, Rossman was exclusively a position player, beginning with two seasons as an outfielder at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif., where he hit .324 as a freshman and .341 the following year. Those numbers earned Rossman a spot at Cal State-Dominguez Hills, where the native of La Habra, Calif., posted a .284 batting average as junior. Rossman followed that performance up with a strong senior campaign in 2014, slugging a career-best seven home runs and drawing 30 walks to post an .849 OPS (on-base plus slugging). But it was on the mound where Rossman began to catch the attention of professional scouts. Despite making just seven relief appearances for the Toros, Rossman was selected by the Dodgers in the 22nd round of the 2014 MLB Draft.

 

After signing, Rossman began his pro career with the Dodgers Arizona League affiliate that same year, making 13 relief appearances with a 4.74 ERA. He earned a promotion the following season to Class-A Great Lakes and delivered his best campaign, working 29 games in relief and posting a 2.26 ERA. Rossman racked up four saves, and struck out 54 in 51.2 innings with just 41 hits allowed.

 

The Dodgers promoted Rossman again in 2016, this time to the notoriously hitter-friendly California League with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. Rossman went 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA in 22 games, but after an injury and one subsequent appearance in Rookie-ball, he was released by the organization on August 30, 2016. Rossman was snapped up by Sioux City on June 18, 2017.

 

For his career, Rossman is 7-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 85 appearances, all in relief. He has worked 145.2 innings, notching 141 strikeouts with 77 walks and 125 hits allowed.

 

Bubba’s father, Charley, is an Academy Award-winning actor with 122 credits.

 

The signing gives the Railroaders a total of 26 players under contract for the 2019 season. American Association clubs may carry up to 28 players during Spring Training, which opens on May 4.

 

The 3rd season of Railroaders baseball and the club’s pursuit of its first division title kicks off with a four-game home series against the Sioux Falls Canaries, beginning on Thursday, May 16. For information on partnerships, season tickets, group outings, and party packages, call the Railroaders main office at (817) 945-8705, or visit the Railroaders official website at www.railroaderbaseball.com.

 

Photo Credit: Jerry Espinoza