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Jacks Add Major League Relative, International Star

May 25, 2015 - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


The Memorial Day weekend came to a close with the East Texas Pump Jacks announcing their latest trio of roster additions. Included in the bunch is future University of Memphis infielder Brandon Grudzielanek, Canadian Junior National Team standout and Eastern Oklahoma State College outfielder Tristan Clarke, and infielder Eddie Silva of the Conference-USA champion Florida International University Panthers.

Brandon Grudzielanek joins the Pump Jacks after spending the spring with McLennan Community College. Grudzielanek posted a .411 batting average, good for second on the team, and led the Highlanders in RBI (46), hits (81), and games (54). A first-team all-conference selection, Grudzielanek led McLennan to a Region V championship and a berth in the Junior College World Series.

Grudzielanek started 51 games for Abilene Christian University last spring during his freshman campaign, and hit .323 with 35 RBI and 18 runs scored. He also ranked third on the team in slugging percentage (.543) and fourth in on-base percentage (.449). He'll be joining the baseball program at the University of Memphis later this fall.

Prior to his college career, he was a three-time first-team all-district selection at Prosper High School.

Brandon is the nephew of former MLB player Mark Grudzielanek, who played 15 seasons in the MLB from 1995 to 2010. The elder Grudzielanek was an all-star in 1996 as a member of the Montreal Expos, and he won a Gold Glove Award at second base in 2006 with the Kansas City Royals.

Clarke comes to East Texas after completing his freshman season with Eastern Oklahoma State College. Clarke collected nine hits, seven RBI, 10 runs, and stole a base in 26 games for the Mountaineers. His two home runs and two doubles brought his slugging percentage up to .349.

A native of Brampton, Ont., outside of Toronto, Clarke was a part of Canada's 2014 Junior National Team which captured a bronze medal at the 2014 COPABE 18U Pan-American Championship. Their top-3 finish earned Team Canada a bid in the 2015 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.

Standing in at 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds, Clarke combines his physical frame with natural athleticism. His potential has grabbed the attention of scouts across the country, and he was ranked the No. 10 draft prospect in Canada by Baseball America prior to the 2014 draft. Perfect Game also tabbed Clarke as a member of the 2014 Canada/Puerto Rico all-region second team.

Silva will arrive in East Texas when his season is complete at Florida International University. Thus far, the true freshman has played in 38 games, making 27 starts and collecting 22 hits, 10 RBI, and 22 runs scored. Seven of his hits went for extra bases, including a home run, a triple, and five doubles. He was also a perfect 2-2 in steal attempts.

The Panthers entered the Conference-USA tournament as the 8th seed and reeled off four consecutive wins clinch the title and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. FIU topped No. 1 seed Rice University 6-5 on Wednesday, beat 5th-ranked University of Texas at San Antonio 15-5 on Thursday, ousted the No. 4 University of Middle Tennessee 15-3 on Saturday, and survived 6th-seeded University of Alabama at Birmingham 8-2 on Sunday to round out the title run. Silva contributed two walks, an RBI, and a run scored over the four tournament games.

As a prep senior, Silva won Hitter of the Year at Archbishop McCarthy High School in south Florida after batting .506 with five home runs and 31 RBI. He played in the state championship game for the Mavericks in 2012 and 2013, and won a Gold Glove as a senior for his stellar defense at shortstop and third base.

The majority of the Pump Jacks' roster and staff are arriving today, and while these player are arranged with host familes for the season, the Jacks are still in need of generous families to house players who have yet to arrive.



Texas Collegiate League Stories from May 25, 2015


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