RYAN COURT CALLED UP TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES

(Via the Sioux City Explorers) Sioux City, IA – The Seattle Mariners announced today that INF Ryan Court has been selected from AAA Tacoma to join the big league club. Court was a former Explorers infielder during the 2015 season. 

Court was an instrumental part of the record breaking, 75 win, 2015 Sioux City Explorers team. Playing in 99 games that season he slashed .331/.400/.474 while hitting nine home runs, driving in 52 runs, scoring 65 times and swiping 15 bags. Court having never played an inning of second base in his professional career before Sioux City, played in 98 games at the keystone position, holding down a fielding percentage of .960. 

Court was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 23rd round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Illinois State University. He would spend four seasons with the D-Backs reaching as high as AA before being let go at the end of the 2014 season, then jumping on with Sioux City. 

Court re-signed with the X’s in the off season for the 2016 season but in April had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox. Court would split his time between AA Portland and AAA Pawtucket, playing the entire 2017 season with the Paw Sox, hitting .263 with 10 homers. 

The 2018 season found Court closer to his Sioux City roots, as he played in Des Moines for the Iowa Cubs, AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Court once again put up good numbers hitting .262 with 11 home runs, 62 RBI’s and 21 doubles but the Elgin, IL native never got the chance to make his big league debut with his hometown team. 

Court made his second stop in independent baseball at the beginning of the 2019 season. Playing in eight games with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League. The quick pit stop however got him another opportunity with the Seattle Mariners organization. Court has spent most of this season with the AAA Tacoma Rainiers, along with former Sioux City Explorers, Parker Markel and Tayler Scott. In only 37 games with Tacoma, Court has hit .279 with nine home runs and 37 RBI’s earning him the promotion to the parent club. 

Court now becomes the third player of the Steve Montgomery era to be called up to a major league ball club; Parker Markel and Tayler Scott. All three have been called up by the Seattle Mariners during the 2019 season.