The Cincinnati Reds have purchased the contract of left-handed pitcher Nick Lee, according to a Kansas City T-Bones announcement.
Lee is the first T-Bones player to have his contract purchased this off-season. This off-season followed a busy championship regular season where Kansas City had 8 players’ contracts sold to affiliated clubs and another pair of players signed with AAA Mexico, all en route to winning the American Association Championship.
Nick Lee was signed by the T-Bones on July 4, 2018, and went on to post a 3.26 ERA in 19.1 innings with 21 strike outs.
During a 10-game streak from July 6 through July 29, Lee allowed only one earned run over 12 innings. He finished the season strong, working his last 7.2 innings of relief, giving up only one earned run while striking out eight in the crucial stretch drive of the playoffs for KC. The left-handed pitcher was pivotal in the T-Bones’ game four championship series, working 1.2 inning of scoreless relief in a 5-3 Kansas City win over St. Paul.
Lee was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 18th round of the 2011 MLB June draft out of Weatherford College (Texas) and spent parts of seven seasons with the Nationals organization, reaching AA. He spent 2013 with A (Full) Hagerstown in the South Atlantic League.
While with the Suns, he pitched 19 games, posting a 3.96 ERA in 91 innings with a 6-4 record. Lee split time between three different teams in 2014. He started the year with the Nationals of the Gulf Coast League. While there he pitched 8 innings with a 6.75 ERA. He then moved on to A (adv) Potomac of the Carolina League, pitching five games with a 10.05 ERA and an 0-2 record. He finished the season with A (Full) Hagerstown, pitching 8.1 innings with a 7.56 ERA and a 1-0 record.
Lee split time again in 2015, starting the season with Potomac in the Carolina League. He pitched 20 games, posting a 2.57 ERA in 28 innings with 28 strikeouts. Lee ended the season with AA Harrisburg in the Eastern League. He pitched 20 games posting a 3.75.
Lee is a native of San Antonio, Texas, and was a standout at James Madison High School in the “Alamo City.” He was drafted out of high school in the 38th round but did not sign in 2010 by the Nationals. He is the 39th player to have his contract purchased while as a member of the T-Bones.
Other T-Bones players whose contracts were purchased during 2018 included Dylan Tice, New York Mets; Taylor Featherston, Cincinnati Reds; Joe Filomeno, Seattle Mariners; Nick Torres, Texas Rangers; Carlos Diaz, Cincinnati Reds; James Buckalew, Chicago Cubs; Adam Brett Walker, Washington National; and Cody Martin, New York Mets.
The T-Bones wrapped up their first American Association title in 2018, picking up the franchise’s second crown in three championship appearances overall. For season ticket and other ticket plans, visit www.tbonesbaseball.com or call 913-328-5618.
– Story from T-Bones