The Kansas City T-Bones have signed left-handed pitcher Carlos Diaz, a player who spent part of the 2018 season with the T-Bones, for the 2019 season.
Diaz returns to Kansas City from the Cincinnati Reds organization where the left-hander spent the second half of the 2018 season and the opening month of the 2019 season before his release April 16 by the Reds organization.
Diaz made 20 appearances in 2018 for Daytona in the Florida State League, the high-A club for Cincinnati. In 22.1 innings, he struck out 37, surrendering eight earned runs on 14 hits with a 3.22 ERA. He was 0-1 with one save in one opportunity.
In five games out of the pen, Diaz tossed three innings, giving up one hit and two earned runs with an 0-1 record and one save with six strike outs.
In 2018, Diaz was a strong bullpen force for Kansas City, pitching 18.2 innings in 18 games for the T-Bones with nine saves, a 0.48 ERA and 27 strikeouts. He did not allow a run in nine straight innings and eight straight appearances to close out his stay in the “metro.”
That run was part of the reason Diaz, on July 7, 2018, became the 34th Kansas City player, and the fourth at that point in the season, to have his contract purchased while with the T-Bones. Since 2018, the T-Bones have had 13 players’ contracts purchased and four players sign with Mexico.
Diaz returned to the American Association last season after spending part of the 2017 season with the Miami Marlins organization. He pitched two scoreless innings in the Gulf Coast Rookie League for the Marlins before moving on to Low-A Greensboro in the South Atlantic League. He worked three games, covering two innings and not allowing a single run for the Grasshoppers.
Diaz began 2017 with the Gary SouthShore RailCats where he went 2-1 with a 3.83 ERA in 42.1 innings. He led all Gary pitchers with a .164 opponents’ batting average, and he struck out 63 while walking just 17 in 42.1 innings. The Marlins purchased Diaz contract on August 6, 2017 from Gary.
The left-hander from La Vega, Dominican, Republic was originally signed as a free agent by the Cleveland Indians organization in 2012. He posted a 2-5 record in his rookie season with the Dominican Summer League with a 2.82 ERA in 51 innings then followed that season by going 1-2 with a 7.62 ERA in 13 innings of relief in Gulf Coast League for the Indians.
Diaz stepped away from the game for two years but returned in 2016 in the Pecos League, tossing 17 innings with a 5.29 ERA in 17 innings and adding 20 strike outs.
Full and half-season 2019 ticket packages as well as mini plans are on sale online by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting the Saint Luke’s Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Group ticket sales are also on sale. Visit www.tbonesbaseball.com for more information.
Opening day for the T-Bones is set for Friday, May 17, at T-Bones Stadium when the T-Bones play host to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks to open the 2019 season.
- Story from T-Bones