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CLEBURNE, Tex. (Feb. 3, 2020) – The Cleburne Railroaders announced Monday the re-signing of outfielder Angel Reyes.

The Railroaders signed Reyes on July 25, 2019 following the conclusion of the All-Star break, and he quickly reasserted his position as one of the league’s most fearsome bats. Over the course of three games against the Chicago Dogs from July 27-29, Reyes went 9-for-14 with three home runs, including a franchise record-tying five hits on July 29. The right-handed hitting slugger continued to post strong numbers for the remainder of the season, finishing the year with a .306/.416/.525 slash line in 40 games. He smacked 11 doubles and eight home runs, driving in 33 runs while notching more walks than strikeouts (28:26).

Reyes was also lethal on the base paths, swiping 11 bases in 12 attempts. The native of Barcelona, Venezuela recorded at least one hit in 27 of his 40 games with the Railroaders, and multi-hit efforts in 12 contests. Over the winter, Reyes returned to his native Venezuela and delivered a sensational campaign with Zulia, earning Rookie of the Year honors in the Venezuelan Winter League. He hit .333 with 11 doubles, two triples and three home runs in 34 games, finishing the year with a .917 OPS.

It was a circuitous road that led Reyes to Cleburne, with the Railroaders representing his fourth different independent league team since the beginning of the 2018 season. The 24-year old began that year with the Lincoln Saltdogs, hitting .287 with 10 home runs before being shipped to the Wichita Wingnuts in a trade deadline deal. Reyes hit .320 with 16 extra-base hits in 32 games for Wichita, and was returned to Lincoln at the end of the season to complete the trade. Over 88 total games for the year, Reyes hit .300 with 19 doubles, 17 home runs and 56 RBI. He also stole 18 bases in 20 attempts. The native of Barcelona, Venezuela was one of just two players in the league with at least 15 doubles, 15 homers and 15 steals, joining American Association Most Valuable Player Jose Sermo of the Sioux City Explorers.

The Saltdogs swapped Reyes to the Sussex County Miners on December 5, 2018 in a three-team trade involving the Railroaders. Reyes’ stay with the Miners was a brief one, as he hit .373 with nine extra-base hits in 13 games for Sussex County before his contract was purchased by the Miami Marlins organization.

Reyes played in 36 games with High-A Jupiter while with the Marlins, but was released on July 20 and snapped up by Cleburne less than a week later. It marked the second stint with Miami for Reyes, who signed with the organization as a 17-year old international free agent in 2012. He ultimately spent seven seasons with Miami, reaching Jupiter in 2017 before the club granted him his release.

During his time in the independent and affiliated ranks, Reyes has played every defensive position with the exception of pitcher, though the majority of his professional experience has been in the corner outfield spots.

The signing of Reyes gives the Railroaders seven players under contract for the 2020 season. American Association clubs may carry up to 28 players during Spring Training, which begins May 7.

2020 Signings

INF Alay Lago
C John Nester
C Blake Grant-Parks
RHP Jesus Sanchez
INF Chase Simpson
RHP Alex Boshers
OF Angel Reyes

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.