Sioux City, IA– The Sioux City Explorers today have announced the signing of OF Ricky Ramirez Jr. The 2020 season will be his third season of professional baseball and his first with the X’s.

Ramirez, was acquired by the Explorers on December 20th in a trade with the Florence Freedom, now the Florence Y’alls, in exchange for a player to be named later.

Now 26 years old, after just recently celebrating a birthday on January 20th, Ramirez began his professional career with the Trinidad Triggers of the Pecos League. However this would prove to be a very brief stop as he spent only 18 games with the Triggers, quickly earning a promotion to the Frontier League with a .514 batting average, six homers and 33 RBI.

The remainder of the 2018 season was spent with Florence. Ramirez played in 67 games hitting for a .276 average, swatting nine home runs, nine doubles, driving in 34 runs and scoring 33. His 31 walks that season helped him gain an on base percentage of .380 during his true rookie season.

Last season Ramirez played in 92 games with the Freedom. He led the team with a  .289 batting average, crushed seven home runs and 19 doubles. He would drive in 54 RBI and score 56 runs. The end of the season numbers were good enough for Ramirez to be named a Postseason All-Star in the Frontier League. He was also named to the Frontier League All-Star team who squared off against the Can-Am League All-Stars. Ramirez also gained a player of the week award in which in six games he hit .438 with an OBP of .625 helping his team to a 4-2 record that week.

Collegiately Ramirez split his college career between two different schools. His first two seasons were spent at Alvin Community College where he spent time as a two way player and helped lead his team to Region 19 Runner Up titles both seasons.

He then found his way to McNeese State where the Cowboys enjoyed winning seasons in the two years he was there. Between those two years he carried a .319 average, in 113 games, scoring 94 runs, and driving in 67 RBI. Ramirez showed a patient eye at the plate earning 71 walks compared to punching out just 67 times. His senior season in 2017 saw him lead the team hitting at a .345 clip and an on base percentage of .462 as he played in all 57 of the Cowboys games.

The native of Deer Park, Texas, took a long road trip to spend the summer of 2016 playing in the Northwoods League for the St. Cloud Rox. He hit .298 with four homers. Ramirez led the club with 75 hits, 42 RBI, 47 runs scored and 16 doubles. Ramirez helped lead the Rox to a 48-23 recorded and a postseason appearance.

Ramirez during his collegiate time has been known to be a bit of a two way player, in both seasons with McNeese State he pitched 11.2 innings over 12 appearances with an ERA of 6.94. He also made three appearances with St. Cloud throwing four shut out innings.

With the addition of Ricky Ramirez Jr. the Explorers now have four players signed to 2020 contracts.

LHP Winston Lavendier

LHP Raudel Lazo

OF Sebastian Zawada

OF Ricky Ramirez Jr.

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