Explorers Bringing Back Talented Youth

May 3, 2022 - American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release

Sioux City Explorers pitcher Brandon Brosher
(Sioux City Explorers)

Brandon Brosher will be entering his 10th season of professional baseball and second with the Sioux City Explorers.

Last season Brosher became the anchor for the Explorers bullpen down the final stretch. He racked up six saves, all six coming after August 18th in the X's final 21 games of the season. He pitched in 39 contests, accumulated a 2.51 ERA and collected 69 strikeouts while issuing only 22 walks in 46.2 innings. All of those numbers were career highs for the right hander.

This past winter, Brosher pitched for Aguilas del Zulia of the Venezuelan Winter League. He sported a 2.40 ERA in 15 games, striking out 14 batters over 15 innings and earning a save.

The now 27 year old was drafted in the 36th round of the 2013 draft by the New York Mets out of Springstead High School in Florida as a position player.

Brosher spent the next six seasons mainly as a backstop in the Mets system. His best season came in 2017 with Class-A, Columbia, where in 67 games primarily behind the dish, he hit .221 slugging a career high 13 home runs and 31 RBI. He rapped seven doubles and stole eight bags for the Fireflies. In those six seasons with the Mets he played in 226 games, batting .195 with 31 home runs, 21 doubles, 94 RBI and 21 stolen bases.

The Florida native received his first true pitching role in 2019 with Trois-Rivieres of the then Can-Am League. Brosher spent the next two seasons between the Aigles and New Jersey on the mound before finding his way to Sioux City.

In three seasons of being a full time pitcher, Brosher has reinvented himself into a relief weapon. In 76 games he has a 2.47 ERA with 133 strikeouts over 98.1 innings with just 47 walks.

Tyler Koch is entering his second season of professional baseball and his second with the Explorers.

The southpaw quickly made a name for himself in his rookie season. He pitched in 21 games, making three starts and held an ERA of 2.94. He fanned 49 batters in 36.2 innings of work.

On September 4th, Koch also delivered the pitching performance of the year for not just the X's but across the league as a whole. The young lefty became the first Sioux City Explorer to complete a no-hitter as he kept the Canaries bats hitless for seven innings in the back half of a double header. For the accomplishment Koch was named American Association Pitcher of the Week.

Koch, who turns 24 on the Explorers home opener of May 17th, finished his collegiate career at Georgia State during the spring of 2021. During his final season with the Panthers, Koch went 0-1 with a 3.74 ERA in 18 games and a single start. He completed 21.2 innings and struck out 27 batters while walking 12.

At the end of his tenure he pitched the second most games in Georgia State history (82). He is also credited with a quick move to first as he racked up 14 career pickoffs at GSU.

DJ Poteet is entering his second season in professional baseball and his second with Sioux City.

In 27 games and 65 at bats, Poteet hit three home runs and a pair of doubles. He drove in 12 and scored 7 runs, swiped a pair of bases and hit for a .231 average.

Poteet's biggest swing of the season came on August 15th against the Cleburne Railroaders. His pinch-hit three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth was the initial spark that ended up igniting a five run Explorers come from behind victory.

The 23 year old concluded his three year career at Wake Forest the past spring. In three seasons with the Demon Deacons he played in 127 games, he hit at a .234 clip with 16 home runs and 64 RBI with 14 doubles and 12 stolen bases all while playing the outfield except for 16 contests in 2020 when he played at second base.

The left handed bat spent the summers playing in collegiate summer leagues, most notable in 2019 with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod League.

With the addition of RHP Brandon Brosher, LHP Tyler Koch and OF DJ Poteet the Explorers have now signed twenty-one players (15 pitchers, 6 position players) to a 2022 contract.

LHP Brett Adcock

RHP Matteo Bocchi

RHP Brandon Brosher

RHP Nate Gercken

LHP Blaine Hardy

RHP Zach Hedges

LHP Tyler Koch

RHP Max Kuhns

LHP Patrick Ledet

RHP Luis Madero

RHP Kevin McCanna

RHP Thomas McIlraith

RHP Carlos Sierra

RHP Michael Slaten

RHP Jonah Smith

INF Nate Samson

INF Blake Tiberi

OF Chase Harris

OF DJ Poteet

OF Ademar Rifaela

OF Sebastian Zawada

The Sioux City Explorers 30th year in Siouxland will begin at MercyOne Field at Lewis and Clark Park on May 17 versus the Lake Country DockHounds. Season, Group and Single Game Tickets are now all on sale and can be purchased by calling (712) 277-9467.

Sioux City Explorers pitcher Tyler Koch

Sioux City Explorers pitcher Brandon Brosher

American Association Stories from May 3, 2022

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• Explorers Bringing Back Talented Youth - Sioux City Explorers

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.

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