VALLEYCATS ACQUIRE PIONEER LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE YEAR
The Tri-City ValleyCats announced that they have acquired LHP Elijah Gill from the Chicago Dogs of the American Association in exchange for two-time Frontier League All-Star 1B Brad Zunica.
Gill, a 24-year-old native of Jacksonville, Florida, was named the Pioneer League of Professional Baseball's Pitcher of the Year after a dazzling 2022 campaign for the Billings Mustangs. The southpaw led the league with a 3.26 ERA in 85.2 innings on the hill for the Mustangs. Gill struck out 80 batters over the course of 15 starts. 2022 marked Gill's professional debut, signing with the Mustangs following a strong final collegiate season at NCAA Division II Valdosta State University in Georgia. The acquisition of Gill, classified as a rookie under the Frontier League's current roster classifications, brings a big arm to the ValleyCats pitching staff and adds another starting pitcher to Pete Incaviglia's rotation.
In exchange for Gill, the ValleyCats sent two-time Frontier League All-Star first baseman and power hitter Brad Zunica to Chicago. After being released by the San Diego Padres early in the 2021 campaign, Zunica signed with the ValleyCats partway through the team's inaugural Frontier League season. The 6'6" first baseman brought a superb plate approach to a struggling ValleyCats lineup, making an immediate impact, and slugging his way to Frontier League Player of the Week and All-Star honors. Zunica continued his success in 2022, becoming the only ValleyCats player to earn an All-Star Game nod in 2021 and 2022, representing the team in Washington, PA alongside IF/OF Brantley Bell and IF Pavin Parks.
The blockbuster is the ValleyCats fourth trade of the month. On February 7th, Tri-City sent RHP Austin Faith to the Lake Country DockHounds of the American Association in exchange for a player to be named later. On February 11th, Tri-City sent recent addition 1B/OF Matt Warkentin to the Joliet Slammers in exchange for RHP Dan Kubiuk, before sending Kubiuk to the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League three days later to complete the 2022 trade for Pavin Parks.
Preparations for season Twenty-FUN of ValleyCats baseball and entertainment in New York's Capital Region are underway at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. 2023 individual game tickets go on sale at 10 AM EST on Thursday, March 30th. You can secure your seats today and be a part of the excitement by booking a 2023 season ticket plan or group outing! For more information, log on to tcvalleycats.com or call 518-629-CATS.
