MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Garcia, Thomas Promoted to Palm Beach

Published on May 15, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


PEORIA, IL -The Peoria Chiefs and St. Louis Cardinals have announced that pitchers Silfredo Garcia and Chris Thomas have been promoted to Advanced-A Palm Beach while pitchers Brandon Lee and Michael Holback will join the roster from Extended Spring Training.

Garcia was the scheduled starter for Thursday night against Wisconsin but will instead take a 2-3 record and 4.25 ERA up to Palm Beach. In six starts this season Garcia struck out 21 and walked 11 in 29 2/3 innings. Last year he was 4-5 with a 3.82 ERA for the Chiefs in 18 starts. Right-hander Blake McKnight will move up a day to take Garcia's place in the rotation Thursday against the Timber Rattlers.

Thomas leaves the Chiefs as the team leader in ERA, saves, games finished and games pitched. In 16 outings this season Thomas was 1-0 with six saves and a 1.02 ERA. He finished 14 games and struck out 26 batters in 17 2/3 innings with just five walks issued. Thomas closed out the second game of both double headers in Cedar Rapids Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Lee was signed by the Cardinals as a free agent out of South Carolina-Upstate in June 2013 and split his first professional season between the Cardinals Gulf Coast League affiliate and Johnson City in 2013. Overall in 2013 he went 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA over 15 relief appearances. With Johnson City, Lee was 1-1 with a 2.91 ERA over 12 games and he stuck out 16 batters in 21 2/3 innings. At South Carolina - Upstate he went 14-10 over his two seasons with the Spartans. He began his collegiate career with Daytona State College, where he pitched and was also used as a utility player, going 6-4 with 90 strikeouts.

Holback was a 25th round draft pick in 2013 out of Cal Poly. With Johnson City in 2013, Holback pitched 16 times with four starts going 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA and two saves. He struck out 44 batters and walked 17 over 33 innings of work. At Cal Poly in 2013 he was 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA helping the school make its second Division 1 postseason trip in program history. He went 0-2 as a sophomore in 2012 with a 2.60 ERA in 19 relief appearances. He struck out 25 while walking 15 and held opposing hitters to a .224 batting average.

The Chiefs begin a seven-game homestand on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Thursday is a Thirsty Thursday with $1.00 12 ounce domestic draft beers and fountain sodas. Tickets are available by calling 1-866-MYTICKET, 309-680-4008 or online at www.peoriachiefs.com through the Ticket Return link.

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