Explorers Add a Pair of Righties
Published on November 4, 2025 under American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The Sioux City Explorers have announced that the team has signed right-handed pitchers Ryan Beaird and Trey Morrill to contracts for the 2026 season. The duo are the third and fourth roster additions of the offseason for the Explorers and Manager Steve Montgomery.
Ryan Beaird made his professional debut with Sioux City last season, pitching in six games and one in the postseason. The San Antonio, Texas native worked 0.2 of a scoreless inning on August 15 at home against Winnipeg in his first professional appearance and would finish the season with a 1.08 ERA in six calls out of the pen. He tossed 8.1 innings with nine strikeouts for Sioux City in 2025. Beaird would allow an earned run on August 17 in one inning but then would work four scoreless appearances over 6.2 innings to close out the regular season. Beaird pitched a season-long three innings in a relief appearance on August 21 in a 7-5 win over Lincoln at Lewis and Clark Park. He would punch out five while yielding one unearned run in the game against the Goldeyes.
Beaird joined the Explorers after a four-year college career between the University of Texas San Antonio and Tarleton State University. In 2025 Beaird spent his only season at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Beaird went 1-4 with a 8.67 ERA in 27 innings, going 1-4 with one save. He spent three seasons at the University of Texas at San Antonio from 2022 to 2024. In his three seasons in the Alamo City, Beaird appeared in 57 games with 13 starts, recording 94 strikeouts with an 8-5 overall record
Beaird was born in Indianapolis, Indiana but was raised in Texas. A native of San Antonio, Beaird was a unanimous All-District selection at Reagan High School in San Antonio and earned Rawlings Perfect Game All-American honors in 2020 as a senior. Beaird is the grandson of former NHL Stanley Cup winning coach Jacques Demers of the Montreal Canadiens.
Trey Morrill comes to the American Association after spending the last four seasons in the Pioneer League. His first professional season was in 2022 with Grand Junction, followed by three seasons pitching for Rocky Mountain, playing for former Explorers Manager Les Lancaster. In his four seasons in the Pioneer League, he went 13-16 with a 7.34 ERA in 110 games with 234 strikeouts and 16 saves. Morrill has primarily been a reliever, working in 93 games out of the pen while making 17 starts in his career.
In 2025 Morrill went 6-1 with a 6.75 ERA with eight saves for Rocky Mountain. He struck out 53 in 48 innings over 41 relief appearances and two starting nods. Morrill was third in strikeouts from the relief corps of the Vibes last season. The 43 games pitched were a career high for Morrill last season with Rocky Mountain. In 2024 he would notch six saves, going 6-3 for Rocky Mountain. He fanned 52 batters in 39.1 innings with a 5.03 ERA during the 2024 season.
Morrill posted a 4-10 record for his first season with Rocky Mountain in 2023 with a pair of saves. He pitched a career high of 86 innings, making 15 starts with 107 strikeouts. His strikeout total led the team in 2023 and was good for third in the Pioneer League for the season. Morrill spent 2022 in Grand Junction, pitching for his hometown team in 16.2 innings over eight games of relief with 22 strikeouts and no record.
Morrill spent two seasons at Yavapai College (Arizona), going 10-3 with a 2.20 ERA in 102.1 innings. He made 16 starts over two seasons and appeared in 21 games overall. Morrill struck out 110 during his two years in college and posted a 1.140 WHIP. Morrill went to Fruita Monument High School in the Grand Junction, Colorado area where he limited opponents to a .211 batting average over his high school career. The righty will be an imposing figure on the bump for the X's, standing six-foot-7 inches tall.
The X's now have four players signed for the 2026 season.
2026 Players signed:
INF Cameron Bufford
C Caden Matlon
RHP Ryan Beaird
RHP Trey Morrill
The Explorers are set to open their 33rd season in Siouxland on the road on Friday night, May 15, against the Chicago Dogs. The club will celebrate opening night at Lewis and Clark Park on Friday night, May 22, against the Lincoln Saltdogs. Ticket packages for the 2026 season along with sponsorship and partner opportunities are available now by calling the Explorers front office at 712-277-WINS. Follow the Explorers social media channels and the club's website xsbaseball.com for off-season news and updates.
FOLLOW THE EXPLORERS DURING THE OFFSEASON LIVE ON EXPLORERS EXPRESSO AND DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST.
American Association Stories from November 4, 2025
- Explorers Add a Pair of Righties - Sioux City Explorers
- Goldeyes Well-Represented at Copa América - Winnipeg Goldeyes
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
