712.277.WINS (9467)

FORMER MLB PITCHERS TAYLOR JORDAN AND PATRICK SCHUSTER SIGN WITH X’S

SIOUX CITY, IA – The Sioux City Explorers announced today that the club has signed former Washington Nationals RHP Taylor Jordan and former Oakland A’s and Philadelphia Phillies LHP Patrick Schuster to 2018 American Association contracts.

Jordan was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 9^th round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of Brevard (FL) Community College. Jordan would pitch in parts of three seasons with the MLB Washington Nationals from 2013-2015. Jordan broke out in 2013 pitching for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators where he dominated, going 7-0 in 8 starts, owning a 0.83 ERA, while spinning two complete game shutouts. For his efforts, Jordan was called up to the Nationals and made his major league debut on June 29, 2013 where he pitched 4.1 innings, allowing only 1 earned run in his first big league start. Jordan would pick up his first MLB win later that season on July 28^th, pitching 6 innings, allowing only 5 hits and 1 earned run, while racking up 7 strikeouts. In nine starts for the Nationals during the 2013 season, Jordan posted a 3.66 ERA over 51.2 innings pitched, while owning a 57.5% groundball rate and a 5.1 K/9 against a 1.9 BB/9. 

Jordan opened the 2014 season in the Nationals starting rotation where he started 5 games before being shut down due to an elbow injury. He split the 2015 season between the MLB Nationals and their Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Chiefs. Jordan began the 2016 season impressing with the Triple-A Chiefs, owning a 1.72 ERA in 3 starts before undergoing his second Tommy John surgery which would force him to miss the rest of the season and the entire 2017 season.

Schuster was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 13^th round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of J W Mitchell HS in Florida, where he set a Florida high school state record by throwing four consecutive no-hitters. Schuster made his major league debut on July 5, 2016, pitching for the Oakland Athletics. He would appear in 5 games for the A’s before being claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies, where he would finish the 2016 season, pitching in 6 games for the big league Phillies. Last season, Schuster split time between the Triple-A affiliates for the A’s and the L.A. Dodgers, combining for a 4-2 record in 44 games.

Schuster began his career in the Diamondbacks organization and was used mostly as a starter before transitioning to a reliever in 2013 where he owned an impressive 1.83 ERA in 55 games out of the bullpen for the Advanced-A Visalia Rawhide. The lefty continued to impress out of the bullpen, being promoted to the Triple-A Reno Aces in the 2014 season. Schuster’s best season came in 2016 pitching for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds where he owned an impressive 1.16 ERA in 38.2 innings pitched, earning 7 saves. For his efforts, Schuster was named a 2016 PCL All-Star. Schuster owns a career 3.53 ERA over 505 innings pitched in the minors, as well as 11 big league games with the A’s and Phillies.

The Explorers 2018 home opener is set for Friday, May 25^th versus the Cleburne Railroaders.  Get in the game with the X’s and reserve your 2018 season ticket packages, flex tickets, or group outing by calling 712-277-WINS (9467).