Category: T-Bones

T-Bones sign outfielder from Rockies farm team

The Kansas City T-Bones have signed outfielder Dillion Thomas for the 2018 season.

Dillion Thomas joins the T-Bones after spending seven seasons in the Colorado Rockies organization, reaching AAA in 2017. Thomas was the Rockies 4th round pick in the 2011 MLB draft out of Westbury Christian School in Houston, Texas.

Thomas made his pro debut in 2011 at rookie level Casper in the Pioneer League, playing in 15 games and going 19-for-58 for a .328 average. He would jump to short season A in the Northwest League with Tri-City in 2012, playing in 24 games and hitting .214 with four RBI.

The corner outfielders first full season at the pro level was in 2013 at Asheville in the South Atlantic League. In 90 games he hit three homers with 36 RBI for the Tourist. In 2014 Thomas began the season at Tri-City playing 18 games and hitting .209. In July he was moved up to Asheville where he hit .317 in 32 games with 10 RBI and one long ball.

Thomas made another step up the ladder in 2015, jumping to High A Modesto in the California League. Thomas played in a career-high 113 games and hit a .248 with six home runs and 49 RBI. In 2016 Thomas would hit .289 at AA Hartford in the Eastern League with four homers and 46 RBI.

Thomas made three stops in the Rockies system in 2017, playing in three games at AAA Albuquerque and 12 games at High A Lancaster with the bulk of his playing time coming in 83 games at AA Hartford. He hit .229 at Hartford with six home runs and 37 RBI.

The Kansas City T-Bones also recently signed right-handed pitcher Tommy Collier for the 2018 season after acquiring him last week via trade with the Sugarland Skeeters of the Atlantic League.

Tommy Collier joins the T-Bones after spending 2011-2016 with the Detroit Tigers organization and reaching AA Erie in 2016, posting a career 41-37 record and a 3.88 ERA in 650 innings with Detroit.

Call the Box Office at 913-328-5618 or purchase and print at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Home opening night is May 22 when the T-Bones play host to Gary SouthShore at T-Bones Stadium at 7:05 p.m.

– Information from T-Bones

T-Bones add Collier to the roster

The Kansas City T-Bones have signed right-handed pitcher Tommy Collier for the 2018 season after acquiring him last week via trade with the Sugarland Skeeters of the Atlantic League.

Tommy Collier joins the T-Bones after spending 2011-2016 with the Detroit Tigers organization and reaching AA Erie in 2016, posting a career 41-37 record and a 3.88 ERA in 650 innings with Detroit.

The last two winters Collier has pitched in the Venezuela Winter League for La Guaira, pitching in 64 innings with a 4.22 ERA over the two combined seasons.

Collier was the 22nd round pick of the Tigers in the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft out of San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas. He went 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA in his rookie season with Connecticut in the New York/Penn League in 2011.

In 2012 he made the jump to low A West Michigan going 9-8, and he led all the starters on the club with a 2.74 ERA in 24 starting nods.

In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Collier split time between High A Lakeland and AA Erie and spent 2013 in the prestigious Arizona Fall League with Mesa. Collier combined for a 4.43 ERA in 2013 in 67 innings and in 2014 tossing 133 innings with a 5.75 ERA for Detroit. The right-hander went 7-8 in 2015 with a 3.70 ERA in 155.2 innings combined at both stops.

At AA Erie in 2016, the Houston, Texas, native won a career-high nine games in 25 starts with 130.2 innings with a 4.20 ERA.

Collier led the SeaWolves in wins and innings pitched that season, adding 87 strike outs. In 2008, Collier was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers out of high school in the 29th round of the MLB Draft from Cypress-Fairbanks High School in Cypress, Texas. He was then drafted in the 49th round by Toronto in 2009 while at San Jacinto College but did not sign.

Season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the Box Office at T-Bones Stadium. Call the Box Office at 913-328-5618 or purchase and print at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Home opening night is May 22 when the T-Bones play host to Gary SouthShore at T-Bones Stadium at 7:05 p.m.

– Story from T-Bones

Right-handed closer to return to T-Bones

Right-handed closer Cody Winiarski has signed with the T-Bones for the 2018 season.

According to a club announcement, Winiarski will return to the T-Bones, where he was the Reliever of the Year in 2017 for the American Association.

Winiarski earned post-season All-Star honors by saving 21 games in 23 opportunities with a 5-1 record, striking out 66 in 52.1 innings with a 1.89 ERA for the T-Bones.

His 21 saves were the second most in a single season in T-Bones club history. The record was set by Kris Regas, who had 22 in 2014.

Winiarski walked just eight batters in 2017 with an 8:1 strike out to walk ratio. His 47 appearances were the second most games for a pitcher in T-Bones franchise history.

Winiarski was also part of a record-setting staff for Kansas City. The T-Bones set the American Association single-season strike out mark as a staff at 897. On Aug. 9 in Fargo, in the bottom of the ninth, Winiarski struck out the side to break the franchise mark single-season team strike out mark.

Winiarski, a former Chicago White Sox prospect, originally joined the T-Bones on Jan. 13, 2017. The right-hander was selected in the 36th round by the Chicago White Sox in the 2011 draft out of the University of Virginia.

A native of Wisconsin, he was drafted out of Union Grove High School by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 36th round but did not sign in 2007. As a junior at the University of Virginia, he posted a 4.68 ERA, working 75 innings, with a 5-0 record in 17 games with 14 starts. Winiarski then went 6-4 in 77 innings as a senior with a 2.92 ERA in 13 starts, appearing 19 games total. Over his four-year college career, he struck out 200 in 267 innings.

With the White Sox system, Winiarski reached AA Birmingham in 2015, and over parts of five seasons he posted a 4-7 record with a 4.00 ERA in 157.2 innings with 197 strike outs. His 2015 season was cut short in June because of an arm injury, and he did not return to the White Sox until late 2016. After Tommy John surgery in July of 2015, he returned for one game in 2016 with the rookie level White Sox of the AZL.

Season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the Box Office at T-Bones Stadium or calling 913-328-5618. Purchase and print tickets online at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Home opening night is May 22 when the T-Bones play host to Gary SouthShore at T-Bones Stadium at 7:05 p.m.

– Story from T-Bones