Sioux City, IA– The Sioux City Explorers today have announced the signing of LHP Raudel Lazo. This is the first signing of the off season for the Explorers with Lazo being a former major leaguer with the Miami Marlins. The 2020 season will be Raudel Lazo’s first with the Sioux City Explorers and in Independent baseball

During the Steve Montgomery era the Sioux City Explorers have become synonymous with strong bullpens. Which would make the first move of the off-season not at all surprising, and highly promising.

Raudel Lazo, a 30 year old south paw is originally a native of Pinar Del Rio, Cuba. He pitched in his home country for two seasons in the Cuban National Series. In 50 games, eight starts, Lazo went a combined 10-10 for the Veguero’s de Pinar Del Rio. In 118 innings, he compiled a 3.97 ERA and 121 strikeouts at the age of just 20.

Lazo defected from his home country, coming to the United States and was signed by the Miami Marlins on November 18, 2011. He spent the next six seasons with the Miami Marlins. Most of the time in his first four seasons was spent at the High-A level, with the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League. Those seasons also saw him touch Double-A a handful of times as well as Triple-A for a single game in his first season.

The 2015 season was Lazo’s break through. After eight appearances in Jupiter, he got the call for 18 games in Double-A with the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League. Posting a 3-2 record and a 3.38 ERA in 29.1 innings and racking up 32 strikeouts to only seven walks earned him the September call up to the parent club.

Lazo made his major league debut at age 26, on September 5th, 2015 against the New York Mets in Miami. He tossed a perfect inning, which included his first major league strikeout coming against then Mets starting pitcher, Bartolo Colon.

The time in the big leagues was brief but successful for Lazo. In just 5.2 innings over 7 games he fashioned a 3.18 ERA, allowing only five hits, yet strikeout five batters, allow only two runs and allowing only two walks for a Marlins team that finished 71-91 that season.

Despite the brief success it would be the only time Lazo pitched in the major leagues for the Marlins. The following couple of seasons saw him bounce between Double-A and Triple-A New Orleans. And despite a 1.78 ERA in New Orleans over 24 appearances in 2016, Lazo never got the call back to the big league club and in May of the 2017 season while in Double-A Jacksonville was released by the Marlins organization.

He was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles for the remainder of the season, finishing out 2017 with the Double-A, Bowie Baysox of the Eastern League. Pitching in eight contests with an ERA of 4.35.

After 2017 Lazo elected free agency, he did not pitch in professional baseball in the summer of 2018 but saw it bookended with winters spent in the Venezuelan Winter league and the Mexican Pacific Winter League. 2019 was the last time Lazo has pitched professionally when he was with Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League. However that time would be brief as he appeared in only nine games with an ERA of 12.15.

Over his 10 year career stretching from his time in the Cuban National Series all the way to the big leagues, Lazo tossed 369.2 innings in 280 games. He holds an record of 28-21 and an ERA of 3.48. His 366 strikeouts are good for a K/9 of 8.9 and his 147 walks for a BB/9 of 3.6.

The Sioux City Explorers 28th season in Siouxland will begin on May 19th at the Kansas City T-Bones. The X’s open up their home schedule on May 26th against the Sioux Falls Canaries. Season tickets, flex tickets, group tickets and luxury suites are now for sale for all 50 Explorers home games for the 2020 season. Simply call (712) 277-WINS (9467) to order your ticket package today.

By Connor Ryan