Prairie Dogs sign pitchers and catchers
Abilene, Texas — While Major League pitchers and catchers are reporting to spring training this week, the Abilene
Prairie Dogs have added a few of their own to the 2012 roster.
The
Prairie Dogs announced Tuesday they have signed catchers Michael Surina
and Zach Welch, as well as pitcher Mike Castrignano. Each player is
entering his third professional season.
Surina played for the Fort Worth Cats last year in the independent American Association. He batted .162 in 10 games.
As a rookie in 2010, Surina split the season between the Tijuana Cimarrones and Yuma Scorpions
of the now-defunct
independent Golden League. Surina had a combined .228 batting average
with a home run and 13 RBIs in 47 games with Tijuana and Yuma.
Surina, 24, has a career .214 batting average, one home run and 13 RBIs in 57 games.
Welch
spent all of last season with the Alpine Cowboys of the semi-pro Pecos
League. He hit .336 with a home run and 26 RBIs in Alpine.
Welch
last played pro ball in 2010 for the Shreveport-Bossier Captains of the
American Association. He began his career in 2009 with the Texarkana
Gunslingers of the Continental League.
Welch, 25, has a .269 career batting average and 15 RBIs in 36 games.
Castrignano
last played pro ball in 2009 for the Big Bend Cowboys of the
now-defunct independent Continental Baseball League. He went 6-1 with a
3.97 earned-run average in 15 starts. Castrignano
also struck out 89 batters in 81 2/3 innings pitched.
In
2008 Castrignano played for the River City Rascals and Gateway Grizzlies
of the independent Frontier League. The lefty compiled a 2-3 record
with a 6.61 earned-run average in 15 games and
six starts between the two clubs.
Castrignano, 25,
has an 8-4 career record with a 4.72 earned-run average in 30 games and 21 starts.
The
Abilene Prairie Dogs are a member of the North American Baseball League
who will play their first season in 2012. Season ticket plans are on
sale now, and are available by calling the Prairie
Dogs front office at (325) 437-6555.
