RailCats Lock Up Three Returners

Gary, IN- Earlier this week, the Gary SouthShore RailCats brought back a trio of returners for the 2024 season. Outfielder LG Castillo, utility player Jose Contreras, and right-handed pitcher Joan Valdez will return to the South Shore.

Castillo is a 24-year-old from Buffalo, New York. He was selected in the 17th round out of Lancaster Central High School by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017. He would start in the 2022 season with the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League before making his debut with the RailCats midway through the season. He impressed in his first 47 games in Gary where he hit seven home runs and 13 doubles while finishing with a .318 batting average. This past season, Castillo was an everyday player for the ‘Cats and was elected to the East Division All-Star team. He finished the year with a .270 average, 102 hits, and four triples.

“LG returns with “Big Bat” potential to our offense,” said manager Lamarr Rogers. “He’ s a confident and great personality on our team. I’ll be looking for LG to build off of his All-Star campaign during the 2024 season. I think there’s a lot more under the hood offensively and defensively. The way the ball can jump off of his bat is a gift. It’s just a matter of him sustaining the consistency for the entire season in efforts of realizing his full-potential and goals.”

Contreras is from the Dominican Republic and will be 28 years old when the 2024 year begins in May. He started his professional journey with the Texas Rangers in 2014 after signing with them as an international free agent. This past season, Contreras played three positions for Lamarr Rogers’s club while only committing two errors. Offensively, he collected five doubles, four home runs, and seven stolen bases.

When asked about Contreras Rogers had this to say, “Jose is the perfect teammate.” “He’s always positive, uplifting and hard working. His ability to play the infield corners and outfield make him a welcomed return to our roster. He also takes a “major league batting-practice”, hitting majestic type homeruns to the deepest parts of stadiums. Having played several seasons over in Japan before joining the RailCats, Jose displayed moments of clutch hitting and defensive flare at 1B in a limited role.”

Valdez is a 24-year-old former Los Angeles Dodgers prospect signed out of the Dominican Republic. The righty signed with the Dodgers in 2016 and debuted professionally in 2017. There, he was used as a starter and as a reliever. Last year was Valdez’s first season with the RailCats, where he primarily came out of the bullpen. He appeared in 37 games, logged 54.2 innings, punched out 58 hitters, and locked down a couple of saves.

“In 2023 Joan stats took a hit after being moved into a starters role after losing two other starters to injuries,” stated Rogers. “At that time, we were fortunate he had previous experience as a starter with the Dodgers organization and was able to pick up the team. Once we were able to move him back to his more comfortable role in the bullpen he excelled. Over the last 30-45 games he was one of the best relievers in the league. A confident and big presence on the mound, I look forward to seeing what he can do with a full season coming out of the bullpen in 2024!

The RailCats 2024 season begins at the Steel Yard on Friday, May 17 vs Lake Country. Season tickets packages and group outings for the 2024 season can be reserved by calling 219-882-2255 or emailing [email protected]