FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 19, 2019
CONTACT: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

GARY, IND. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats signed outfielder Evan Marzilli and infielder Marcus Mooney to their first Independent Professional Baseball (IPBF) contracts on Friday. 2019 marks Marzilli’s eighth season of professional baseball and Mooney’s fourth.

Marzilli signed a minor league free agent contract with the Chicago Cubs on Jan. 16, 2019, and went 3-for-18 with two runs, a double, a stolen base and two walks in 10 games. Prior to signing with the Cubs, Marzilli spent seven seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks minor league system, reaching Triple-A.

A native of Cranston, R.I., Marzilli began his pro career in 2012 after getting selected by Arizona in the eighth round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of South Carolina University as a junior. Marzilli was assigned to the Missoula Osprey (Rookie Affiliate) of the Pioneer League and slashed .332/.403/.389/.791 with 40 runs, 70 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, 15 RBIs, six stolen bases and four hit by pitches in 51 games.

In 2013, Marzilli appeared in MLB Spring Training with the D-Backs for the first time in his career and went 1-for-10 with two stolen bases and a walk in nine games before getting assigned to the Visalia Rawhide (Class-A Advanced Affiliate) of the California League. The outfielder slashed .250/.342/.346/.687 with a career-high 115 hits and 27 doubles and scored 67 runs, hit four triples, three home runs and stole 14 bases.

Marzilli returned to MLB Spring Training again with Arizona in 2014 and went 2-for-9 with a run, sacrifice fly and two RBIs in eight games before returning to Visalia again. In 52 games with the Rawhide, Marzilli slashed .244/.360/.409/.769 with 30 runs, eight doubles, three triples, five home runs, 18 RBIs and seven stolen bases before getting promoted to the Mobile BayBears (Double-A Affiliate) of the Southern League on June 2. In 81 games with Mobile, Marzilli slashed .246/.328/.361/.690 with 33 runs, 70 hits, 12 doubles, six triples, three home runs, 35 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in 81 games. Following a strong MiLB season, Marzilli was invited to the Arizona Fall League, and slashed .303/.376/.382/.758 with 15 runs, 23 hits, one double, one triple, one home run, nine RBIs and seven stolen bases in 25 games with the Salt River Rafters.

In 2015, Marzilli went 0-for-16 with three runs and a walk in 23 games with the Diamondbacks in Spring Training before getting placed on the Disabled List to begin the MiLB season. Marzilli began the MiLB season on a rehab assignment with the Arizona League Diamondbacks (Rookie Affiliate) and slashed .409/.552/.500/1.052 with five runs, nine hits, a triple, an RBI and three stolen bases in eight games before getting assigned to the Reno Aces (Triple-A Affiliate) of the Pacific Coast League. In nine games with Reno, Marzilli slashed .300/.300/.400/.700 with four runs, nine hits, one double, one triple, two RBIs and a stolen base before returning to the Disabled List. Marzilli made another rehab assignment with the AZL Diamondbacks before finishing the season with Mobile. In 32 games with the BayBears, Marzilli slashed .246/.354/.344/.698 with 17 runs, 30 hits, five doubles, two triples, one home run, eight RBIs and six stolen bases.

In 2016, Marzilli was invited to Diamondbacks spring training as a non-roster invitee and slashed a career-best .353/.389/.676/1.065 with five runs, 12 hits, four doubles, two triples, one home run, nine RBIs and one stolen base in 25 games. Marzilli opened the MiLB year with Reno and slashed .209/.312/.343/.655 with 11 runs, 14 hits, five doubles, two triples, one RBI and three stolen bases in 21 games before getting reassigned to Mobile on May 6. Marzilli finished the year with the BayBears and slashed .231/.351/.301/.653 with 51 runs, 79 hits, 13 doubles, four triples, one home run, 27 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and a career-high eight hit by pitches in 102 games.

In 2017, Marzilli went 5-for-24 with two runs, one triple, two RBIs and one stolen base with Arizona in Spring Training before getting assigned to the Jackson Generals (Double-A Affiliate) of the Southern League. In 95 games with the Generals, Marzilli slashed .253/.370/.372/.742 with 54 runs, 75 hits, 10 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 17 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases before getting promoted to Reno on July 31. In 32 games with the Aces, Marzilli slashed .264/.355/.406/.760 with 14 runs, 28 hits, five doubles, two triples, two home runs, 18 RBIs and one stolen base in 32 games.

Marzilli returned to Spring Training with the Diamondbacks for the final time in 2018 and went 2-for-10 with a run in eight games before being placed on the Disabled List to begin the MiLB season. Marzilli went 3-for-7 with two runs, a double, two RBIs, and a stolen base in three games with the AZL Diamondbacks on a rehab assignment before going to Reno. In 43 games with the Aces, Marzilli slashed .260/.345/.382/.726 with 23 runs, 34 hits, six doubles, two triples, two home runs, 15 RBIs and a stolen base in 43 games before getting reassigned to Jackson. In 10 games with the Generals, Marzilli went 4-for-30 with six runs, two doubles and three stolen bases in 10 games.

Mooney appeared in MLB Spring Training with the Atlanta Braves in 2019 and finished 1-for-2 with a run and a hit by pitch in two games. A native of Loxahatchee, Fla., Mooney began his professional baseball career in 2016 with the Danville Braves (Rookie Affiliate) of the Appalachian League after getting selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of the University of South Carolina as a senior. In 62 games with Danville, Mooney slashed a career-best .264/.356/.326/.683 with 44 runs, 13 doubles and one triple. The middle infielder also drove in 16 runs, swiped six bases and was hit by a pitch 21 times.

In 2017, Mooney got his first taste of MiLB full-season baseball with the Rome Braves (Class-A Affiliate) of the South Atlantic League and slashed .238/.310/..274/.585 with a career-high 53 runs, 99 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, 32 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, 21 walks and 25 hit by pitches in 111 games.

Mooney appeared in MLB Spring Training for the first time in 2018 with Atlanta and went 1-for-4 in four games before getting assigned to the Florida Fire Frogs (Class-A Advanced Affiliate) of the Florida State League for the MiLB season. In 73 games with the Fire Frogs, Mooney slashed .214/.302/.242/.544 with 29 runs, 46 hits, six doubles, 13 RBIs, a stolen base and 10 hit by pitches in 73 games. 

Gary opens the 2019 regular season on Thursday, May 16 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–