FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2019
CONTACT: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

GARY, IND. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats claimed left-handed pitcher Braulio Torres-Perez off waivers from the Milwaukee Milkmen on Tuesday. 2019 marks Torres-Perez’s fourth season of professional baseball and third stint with Gary.

Last year, Torres-Perez went 4-7 with one complete game and a 3.86 ERA in 22 games (nine starts) between the Rierleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican League and the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League. The 26-year-old southpaw opened the season with  Aguascalientes and went 0-1 with one game finished and a 5.79 ERA in 13 relief appearances. Torres-Perez didn’t allow a baserunner to reach base in his first two appearances with Aguascalientes before returning to the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League on July 6.

Torres-Perez was then dealt from Florence to Windy City for a player to be named later on July 13. In nine starts with Windy City, Torres-Perez finished 3-6 with one complete game and a 4.78 ERA. Torres-Perez recorded the win in his season debut on July 17 vs. the Gateway Grizzlies after allowing one run on five hits and four walks and struck out eight batters in six innings pitched.

The southpaw split the 2017 campaign between Gary and Florence, finishing 11-5 with one complete game shutout and a 4.88 ERA in 25 games (19 starts). 2017 also marked a career-year for Torres-Perez, who posted a career-best 11 wins, 25 games, 19 starts, 123.2 innings pitched and 100 strikeouts.

Torres-Perez opened the year with Gary and went 5-3 with a 5.27 ERA in 15 games (10 starts) with the RailCats. Torres-Perez made his first five appearances with Gary out of the bullpen and recorded the win in his season debut on May 21 (Game 2) against the St. Paul Saints after yielding just two hits and a walk while striking out three hitters over 2.1 scoreless innings. After not allowing a run in three of his first five relief outings, Torres-Perez permanently moved to the starting rotation on June 3. Torres-Perez recorded his first win as a starter on June 7 vs. the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks after allowing an unearned run on two hits and three walks while striking out three hitters over six innings. Torres-Perez continued to pitch well in June, and was named the American Association Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career for the week ending on June 25th. In two starts during the week of June 19 through June 25, Torres-Perez went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 13 innings pitched.

Torres-Perez was then traded from Gary to Florence on July 18 for a player to be named later. In 10 games (nine starts) with the Freedom, the southpaw went 6-2 with his first career complete game shutout and a 3.26 ERA. Torres-Perez recorded the win in his season debut with Florence on July 20 against the Schaumburg Boomers after striking out a career-high 10 batters over seven innings of three-run ball. Torres-Perez went on to record a quality start in six of his first seven starts with Florence and tossed his first career complete game shutout on August 11 vs. Gateway.

A native of Federal Way, Wash., Torres-Perez signed his first professional baseball contract with Gary in 2016 following his senior season at Bellevue University. As a senior at Bellevue, Torres-Perez was named an NSAA Gold Glove Award Winner and First Team All-NSAA after going 11-1 with a 2.92 ERA and 95 strikeouts. In two games with the ‘Cats, Torres-Perez went 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA. Torres-Perez retired the only batter he faced in his professional baseball debut on July 25 against the Kansas City T-Bones and recorded a no-decision in his first American Association start on July 31 against the now defunct Wichita Wingnuts. The left-hander was then traded to Florence on August 4 in exchange for a player to be named later. In seven games (five starts) with the Freedom, Torres-Perez went 4-0 with a 3.21 ERA and a save. Torres-Perez recorded his first career quality start in his second start with Florence against Gateway on August 14 and went on to record a quality start in four of his first five starts.

Gary opens the 2019 regular season on Friday, May 17 in Rosemont, Ill., against the Chicago Dogs at Impact Field. The RailCats home opener at U.S. Steel Yard is on Tuesday, May 21 vs. the Sioux City Explorers. Tuesday’s home opener features a free magnet schedule giveaway, presented by Northwest Indiana Orthopedic and Spine Center at Methodist Hospitals, and Post-Game Fireworks. Tuesday’s home opener is also Gary Community Night, presented by Fifth Third Bank, and is the first Taco Tuesday and Community HealthNet Health Centers Tuesday of the season.

Ticket packages for the 2019 Gary SouthShore RailCats season are available online at railcatsbaseball.com and can also be purchased by calling the RailCats ticket line at (219) 882-BALL. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

–RAILCATS–