News

REDHAWKS SIGN BUTLER AND RIVERS

FARGO, N.D. – The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks have signed LHP Tony Butler and RHP Alex Rivers to contracts.  Both players are expected to be in Fargo when the RedHawks open Training Camp on May 5.

Butler, 24, made two stops last season in the Seattle Mariners organization.  He began the season with Everett of the Northwest League (Short-A), where he was 0-2 with a 2.57 ERA in three starts.  Butler struck out 18 batters and allowed just ten hits in 14.0 innings pitched.  He was promoted to Clinton of the Midwest League (A), where he was 3-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 12 starts.  In 69.0 innings pitched at Clinton, Butler allowed 29 runs (25 earned) on 65 hits.  He struck out 67 batters and walked 30.

Butler was originally selected by the Mariners in the 3^rd round of the 2006 draft by the Mariners out of Oak Creek (WI) High School.  After two seasons, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles as part of a five-for-one trade for LHP Erik Bedard.  After battling injuries for two-plus seasons, he was released and signed with the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 2010.  He was re-signed by the Mariners prior to 2011.

Rivers, 23, joins the RedHawks after spending the past two seasons in the Kansas City Royals organization.  He made four stops in 2011 from rookie ball in the Arizona League to Wilmington of the Carolina League (High-A).  Overall, Rivers was 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 21 games (one start).  He pitched 48.2 innings and allowed 27 runs (19 earned) on 46 hits.  Rivers struck out 50 batters and walked nine.

Rivers was selected by the Royals in the 39^th round of the 2010 draft after completing his college career at Santa Clara University in California.  In his rookie season, Rivers was 1-2 with a 5.34 ERA and six saves in 21 games for Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League (Rookie).  He struck out 38 batters and walked seven in 28.2 innings pitched.

Butler and Rivers are the 18^th and 19^th players signed by the RedHawks this season.

REDHAWKS NOTES…

·         RHP Tom Boleska, who signed with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in March only to be later signed to a contract by the Miami Marlins, was released in Spring Training.  Boleska has re-signed with the RedHawks and is expected to be in Fargo in early May for the beginning of Training Camp.