RedHawks sign pitchers Culp, Bess
Published on April 27, 2004 under Northern League (NL)
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks News Release
FARGO, N.D. â The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks have signed RHP Brandon Culp and RHP Steve Bess, the Northern League club announced today. Both pitchers will be in Fargo when the RedHawks start training camp on May 5.
Culp, 26, spent the 2003 season with the Potomac (VA) Cannons of the Carolina League (A), his fourth in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He was 3-6 with a 3.56 ERA in 31 games (11 starts) for Potomac, allowing 48 runs (39 earned) on 92 hits. Culp struck out 74 batters and walked 38.
In 2002, Culp dominated the California League (A) for the Stockton Ports, going 5-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 35 games (eight starts). In 100.2 innings pitched, he allowed 34 runs (28 earned) on just 73 hits. Culp struck out a career-high 104 batters and walked 47 while holding opponents to a .199 batting average against him. Culp was originally selected by the Reds in the 26th round of the 2000 draft out of Jacksonville (AL) State University.
Bess, 27, is returning to professional baseball after two missing the past two seasons due to injury. He last played in 2001 in the Detroit Tigers organization. Bess pitched 33 games for the Lakeland Tigers of the Florida State League (A), where he was 2-3 with a 2.65 ERA and 19 saves. In 37.1 innings pitched, he allowed 12 runs (11 earned) on 25 hits. Bess struck out 39 batters and walked 12 before earning a promotion to the Erie Seawolves of the Eastern League (AA). With Erie, Bess was 0-2 with a 2.89 ERA in ten games. In 18.2 innings, he allowed six runs on 15 hits while recording eight strikeouts.
Bess was originally selected in the 16th round of the 1999 draft by the Tigers, and was 4-9 with a 3.02 ERA and 29 saves in three seasons in that organization. Bess played college baseball at Rice University in Houston, where he helped the Owls to the College World Series in 1997 and 1999.
Northern League Stories from April 27, 2004
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