SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2024
A TRIO OF SIOUX CITY LEGENDS RETURN
SIOUX CITY PRESEASON CAMP IN FULL SWING
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers opened preseason camp this week and announced the return of three long-time Sioux City Explorers for 2024. The busy week brought the return of RHP Nate Gercken, OF Chase Harris and 1B John Nogowski. Each player has a place special place in Sioux City Explorers baseball lore.
Nate Gercken returns as the longest tenured player on the roster for 2024. His return will also bring back the organization’s all-time leader in career appearances for the Explorers. The California native enters the season having pitched in 147 games. In his career with Sioux City, Gercken has a 3.70 ERA in 148.2 innings, surrendering 61 earned runs with an 11-8 record and two saves. Gercken has recorded 162 strikeouts in parts of four seasons with the Explorers. Last season he made 40 appearances, going 3-3 while yielding 27 earned runs in 41.2 innings with 38 strikeouts. Gercken finished the season with a 1.728 WHIP.
The 2022 season was another strong season for Gercken as he fashioned a 3.38 ERA as a reliever. He went 24 innings while allowing just 18 hits, adding up to a 1.83 WHIP. In 2021, he came into 40 games out of the bullpen, pitching to the tune of a 3.75 ERA with 54 strikeouts over 36 innings. Gercken was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 17th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of college, but quickly joined partner leagues, making his way to the Explorers.
In 2015, he played in the Twins organization late after being drafted out of the Academy of Art. He pitched 35 innings in rookie ball, allowing 26 earned runs in 35 innings with a 6.69 ERA and 1.66 WHIP. Before going pro, he played three seasons for the Academy of Art Urban Knights. In his final season, he garnered a 2.90 ERA, nearly throwing 100 innings as a starter. In 2014, he had another productive season, pitching a 2.95 ERA over 82.1 innings. In his first year with the Urban Knights, he had a 4.42 ERA over 73.1 innings
Chase Harris who has set the standard for defense in center field for Sioux City is back for his fourth season in a X’s jersey. Harris is the longest tenured position player on the X’s roster, having joined the team in 2021. He is a former defensive player of the year (2021), holding down centerfield the last three seasons. The Idaho native is one of eight players in franchise history to steal at least 30 bases in a season, swiping 33 in his first year with Sioux City in 2021. His 72 stolen bases places him ninth all time in the club record books going into the 2024 season. In the outfield, Harris has been a human highlight machine in the Siouxland. In his first season with the X’s, Harris was named the 2021 defensive player of the year.
In 2023 Harris fought through some lingering injuries to play in 95 games, two behind Vince Fernandez who led the club. He hit .210 with five home runs and 29 RBI for the X’s. Harris was 26-for-31 in stolen bases, placing him second behind Delvin Zinn’s 29. He would slash a line of .210/.316/.315 in 2023. Harris had a successful 2022 that resulted in a career year where he hit .282 with seven home runs, 30 RBI and 13 SB. He would slash a line of .282/.378/.411 while setting a professional career high in home runs and RBI He also set a career high in SB with 33 while crossing the plate 51 times for the Explorers.
Harris was picked up by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 14th round of the June 2014 draft out of the University of New Mexico. He spent two seasons in the Phillies system, reaching Advanced A ball. Harris was born in Boise, Idaho and played high school ball at Centennial High School in Boise.
First baseman John Nogowski and his story is what the ultimate American Association success story. The former Florida State Seminole came to Sioux City in 2017 and took the league by storm in 34 games. Nogowski would hit an outstanding .402 with a 1.089 OPS and four home runs and drive in 28 runs. That would lead to the transfer of his contract to the St. Louis Cardinals organization where he would climb his way through the Cardinals system and would eventually propel him to reaching the Major Leagues in 2020. Nogowski also played with the Pittsburgh Pirates for part of the 2021 season and spent time at AAA and in Mexico from 2021 to 2023.
Nogowski had two stints with Sioux City in 2023. He signed with the Explorers on June 15 after spending the first part of the 2023 season in the Atlantic League with the High Point Rockers where he batted lights out. Nogowski hit .294, blasting 11 home runs in 37 games while knocking in 49 runs. He would slash a line at the plate of .297/.419/.625 for the Rockers. In his first 17 games with the Explorers, he hit .397 with two home runs and nine RBI before having his contract transferred to Monclova in the Mexican League on July 5.
While in Mexico, Nogowski hit .277 in 25 games with 14 RBI. Following the elimination of Monclova from post-season consideration, Nogowski returned to Sioux City on August 18 and was a big part of the club’s stretch drive to the post-season. He would drive in another seven runs in 17 games with two round trippers. Nogowski would hit another homer in five playoff games, going 7-for-23 with an RBI and scoring four runs. For the season, the Florida native hit .317 with five home runs and 16 RBI. Nogowski would add eight doubles to his stat totals in 2023, while slashing a line of .317/.419/.480.
The Explorers will begin the exhibition season on Monday at Yankton, South Dakota against the Sioux Falls Canaries. The game can be heard on KSCJ at 6:05 p.m. The team then will head to Fargo to face the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Tuesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 8. Both game times are 6:05 p.m. and the games will air on aabaseball.tv. For fans wanting an early look at the X’s the team will host an intersquad game Sunday May 5 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Park. Admission is free!
The Explorers are set to open their 31st season in the Siouxland at home Friday night, May 10th at 7:05 p.m. against the Kansas City Monarchs. Ticket packages for the 2024 season are on-sale now, including Full and Half-Season Tickets as well as 10, 15 and 25 game Flex Packs. More information is available by calling the Explorers front office at 712-277-WINS. Stay tuned to the Explorers social media channels and the club’s website xsbaseball.com for off-season news and updates.