BARNSTORMERS INK BIG LEAGUE VETERAN RZEPCZYNSKI
Lefty Brings Ten Years of MLB Experience to “The Barn”
Lancaster, PA — The Lancaster Barnstormers have signed 10-year Major League veteran and World Series champion Marc Rzepczynski (zepp-CHIN-skee) to a contract for the 2022 season, it was announced today by manager Ross Peeples.
He becomes the 17th player on the 2022 Lancaster roster and second to have spent time at the Major League level.
Rzepczynski, 36, signed with Toronto as the Blue Jays’ fifth round pick in the 2007 draft. He began his career as a starter, making his Major League debut with a quality start at Tampa Bay on July 7, 2009. In his 11 starts for the Blue Jays that season, seven were quality starts with only two resulting in wins. He was 2-4 with a 3.67 ERA.
The left-hander would start again for Toronto in 2010, going 4-4 with a 4.95 ERA before settling into the setup relief role for which he is best known the following year, pitching in 43 games for the Jays before being dealt to St. Louis in an eight-player trade on July 27, 2011 and entering 28 more contests.
He got into 70 or more contests in a season three more times in his career.
The Californian has pitched for seven different Major League teams, including two stints with Cleveland, over his 10 big league seasons, appearing in 506 games. He has compiled a 14-27 record with a 3.89 ERA. Rzepczynski has also been a part of four big league post-seasons, winning a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 2011. He has made 21 post-season appearances, covering 12.2 innings with 16 strikeouts. Five of those appearances came in the 2011 NLCS when he picked up his lone post-season win against the Milwaukee Brewers. He worked four more games in the World Series win over the Texas Rangers.
Rzepczynski last pitched in the Majors on July 9, 2018 for the Indians. He spent the 2019 season with Arizona’s Class AAA affiliate in Reno, going 2-4 in 45 relief appearances. Prior to the shutdown of minor league baseball in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he had signed to make his return to Toronto. The southpaw did not pitch in 2021.
“Marc is a veteran lefty that will be big for our bullpen and our clubhouse,” said Peeples. “With the experience that he has, he will be in some high pressure situations. His presence will also be a benefit to helping some of the young pitchers we have.”
The Barnstormers open their 2022 season at Gastonia on Thursday, April 21. They will return home eight days later to take on the York Revolution at 6:30 to begin the Clipper Magazine Stadium portion of the schedule.
About the Lancaster Barnstormers
The Lancaster Barnstormers are headed into their 18th year in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Home games are played at Ballpark Digest’s two-time Best Ballpark in MLB Partner League Baseball – Clipper Magazine Stadium in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Please call 717.509.HITS (4487) or visit www.lancasterbarnstormers.com for more information.
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
With teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic, the ALPB is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 1,000 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 44 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 24-year history. For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.
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