SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2024
EXPLORERS ADD GOINS AND GEORGE
ROOKIE JOINS FORMER JACKRABBIT ON 2025 ROSTER
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers have announced that the team has signed right-hander Jeremy Goins and OF Henry George for the 2025 season. Goins was a true rookie last season and will make his return to Sioux City while George played his final collegiate season at South Dakota State University.
RHP Jeremy Goins returns to Sioux City for a second season after spending nearly half the 2024 season with the Explorers. Goins would finish the season working nine relief innings in eight games with 15 strikeouts and a 6.00 ERA. He would go 1-0 and surrender 11 hits and six earned runs with six walks and a 1.889 WHIP.
Goins was signed on July 8 and made his professional debut the next day, working 0.2 innings against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Fargo. Goins surrendered two runs in his first outing and another run in his second outing at home against Winnipeg then rolled off three straight shut down appearances, including picking up his first career win on August 19 against Kansas City. In one of the wildest finishes in X’s history, Goins took over with Sioux City trailing 13-8 in the eighth inning. The Explorers looked to be dead in the water after the pen gave up 11 runs in the top of the seventh to turn what looked like a sure Sioux City win into a possible Kansas City win. Goins shut-down inning kept the game in check, and the Explorers came back and scored eight runs to retake control of the game, going on to a 16-13 win as part of an eventual five-game sweep of the Monarchs.
The Florida native finished strong for the Explorers, recording two consecutive scoreless appearances to finish out the regular season. He would toss one scoreless frame against Cleburne on August 31 and September 2 at Lewis and Clark Park. Following his first two outings with Sioux City, he made six relief appearances and held opponents off the scoreboard in five of the six.
Goins came to Sioux City after pitching one season for the University of Tampa in 2024. In his only season with the Spartans, Goins appeared in 11 games out of the bullpen, posting a 6.23 ERA over 17.1 innings. Goins started his collegiate career at the College of Central Florida in 2019 before transferring to Pasco-Hernando State College for the 2021 season. Goins started seven games in 2022 for the Bobcats, posting a 2.35 ERA across 38.1 innings. He would not pitch in 2023.
Goins hails from Tampa, Florida and attended King High School, serving as team captain as a Senior. His junior year, the school made the state championship game. Goins also played outfield for King High School.
Henry George comes to Sioux City after spending two seasons with the Northern Colorado Owls in the Pioneer League. George would club 28 home runs and drive in 125 runs in 177 games over two seasons. In his first two professional seasons, the native of Minnesota hit .336, slashing a line of .336/.440/.579 in the Pioneer League. George added 51 stolen bases in his two seasons with Northern Colorado. He has played all three outfield spots during his career both as a pro and in college.
George spent four years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth before spending one season at South Dakota State as a graduate transfer in 2022. The three-year starter would finish his college career with the Jackrabbits in 2022. In his lone season at South Dakota State, he hit .294 in 45 games with four home runs and 17 RBI. George would swipe 13 bases out of 14 attempts with the Jackrabbits, finishing second on the team in stolen bases. His .294 batting clip placed him second on the team, and he would lead the team in walks with 26. George finished the season tied for the team lead in runs scored (39) and second in hits with 50.
George had a standout career at Minnesota-Duluth as a three-year starter and two-time team captain. Over his career he hit .351 with 26 doubles, six triples, two home runs, 56 RBI with the Bulldogs. George would add 36 stolen bases over his career while earning second-team all-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference honors in both 2019 and 2021. His 2021 season would earn George team MVP honors where he would hit .359 with a homer and 22 RBI in 38 games. George would also be named to the conference All-Defensive Team.
In 2020 George would hit .333 in eight games as the worldwide pandemic cut the season short at just eight games. He would make 39 starts in the lineup card in 2019 while playing in 43 games. George led the team in average (.388), walks (22), on-base percentage (.469) and stolen bases (19). George was named the team’s most valuable player following the 2019 season.
In his first season at Minnesota-Duluth, George made an immediate impact with the Bulldog outfield corps and would play in 43 of 45 games. He would start 42 games to lead the team, and he would steal a team-leading 10 bases. George was voted UMD’s 2018 Rookie of the Year after hitting .319 good for second on the team with 46 hits that would place him second on the team.
George grew up in Woodbury, Minnesota and was a 2017 graduate of New Life Academy. He was a four-year starter in high school and was a member of one Minnesota State High School Class-A State champion (2015) and a three-time Minnesota Christian Athletic Association title winner (2015-17). George served as the Eagles team captain as a junior and senior and was named to All-Minnesota Christian Athletic Association Conference honors four years in a row and was bestowed with an All-Section citation in both 2014 and 2015. George was also named All-State and All-State Academic in 2017 while also playing soccer for three years and basketball for one season. George would earn his degree in business while at Minnesota-Duluth.
Players signed 2025:
OF Henry George
RHP Jeremy Goins
LHP Jaren Jackson
RHP Ben Madison
The Explorers are set to open their 32nd season in the Siouxland on the road Thursday night, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. against the Kane County Cougars. The club will celebrate opening night at Lewis and Clark Park Friday night, May 16 at 7:05 p.m., against the Kansas City Monarchs. Ticket packages for the 2025 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.