AA Gary SouthShore Railcats

RailCats Make Blockbuster Trade with Laredo

Published on August 17, 2015 under American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


GARY, IN - The Gary South Shore RailCats returned from a 4-2 road trip but did not stay quiet on their off day. The club announced a trade of INF JD Pulfer, OF Drew Martinez and INF Roger Bernal to the Laredo Lemurs in exchange for 1B Dustin Geiger, INF Jarred Mederos and LHP Alex Gunn. The deal also includes that Gary South Shore sends Laredo a player to be named while Laredo will send two players and cash following the completion of the 2015 season.

The RailCats are parting with two of only four remaining players from the 2013 American Association Championship team inJD Pulfer and Drew Martinez. Both players joined the club in 2013 and have been core pieces of the RailCats since 2013 including being selected to the 2014 American Association All-Star game in Winnipeg.

JD Pulfer joined the RailCats in 2013 after the University of Oregon product played in 61 games in his first season on the South Shore hitting .284. In 2014 Pulfer had his best professional season hitting .307 in 99 games adding seven home runs and 61 RBI for Gary. This season the California native was tied for the team lead in RBI at 37 and was hitting .271 with two homers. Pulfer was originally selected in the 19th round of the 2011 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he played two seasons. This season Pulfer has played all four infield positions except catcher and has also played centerfield for Gary.

Outfielder Drew Martinez also came to the RailCats in 2013 after being signed as a free agent in the fall of 2012. Martinez, who played his college ball at the University of Memphis, recorded the franchise's 10,000th hit in 2013. Martinez hit .294 in 92 games in his first season with a home run and 42 RBI and followed that season up with a record breaking 2014. The RailCats right fielder set a franchise single season high in hits with 153 while hitting a team high .358 with two home runs and 62 RBI playing a team leading 100 games. Martinez was named to the 2014 American Association All-Star team and was the only player from a non-playoff team to make the season All-Star team. Martinez was selected by the Angels in the 10th round of the 2011 draft out of Memphis.

INF Roger Bernal, is in his second season on the South Shore after joining the club in late 2014 following the completion of the United Baseball League season with Rio Grande. Bernal played in just three games in 2014 but has played in 70 games in 2015. The San Antonio, Texas native hit .233 with 20 RBI with the RailCats this season playing primarily at third base. Bernal played collegiately at the University of Texas Pan American.

The RailCats in return will receive 1B Dustin Geiger, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 24th round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft from Merritt Island High School in Merritt Island, Florida. Geiger began the season at Wichita where he played in 33 games hitting .351 with seven home runs and 28 RBI. He was traded to Laredo on June 27th where he hit .219 in 42 games with five home runs and 17 RBI.

INF Jarred Mederos a true rookie out of St. Johns University is batting .179 in 32 games with 6 RBI for Laredo. In 2015 his senior season Mederos played in 55 games for the Red Storm with 45 hits in 190 at bats for a .237 batting average and five home runs. Mederos has primarily played short stop in his career.

The RailCats also will receive another true rookie LHP Alex Gunn in the deal. Gunn, who hails from Clinton, Mississippi, was 0-1 with a 6.45 ERA in four games for Laredo. He struck out seven and walked eight in 15.1 IP this season. Gunn pitched in college for the University of Memphis wrapping up his career with the Tigers in 2015 going 6-2 in 64.1 IP with a 4.06 ERA in 11 games.

The RailCats return to action on Tuesday night to face the Joplin Blasters in the visitors first ever trip to US Steel Yard in a three game set. It is also a key series in the American Association Wild Card standings. The RailCats are 5.5 games behind Joplin with four games on the horizon against the Blasters. The upcoming series with Joplin will also include the completion of a suspended game from August 4th with the RailCats leading 2-0. That game began in Joplin and will be completed August 18th at 5:00pm prior to the regular series opener at 7:10pm.

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American Association Stories from August 17, 2015


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