SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2025
EXPLORERS SET ROSTER FOR OPENING DAY
FACE REIGNING LEAGUE CHAMPIONS TONIGHT
GENEVA, IL – The Sioux City Explorers announce the 2025 opening-day roster prior to the American Association season opener tonight. The club will begin their 32nd season in Siouxland tonight at 6:30 p.m., against the reigning American Association Champions, the Kane County Cougars at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, Illinois. The Explorers active opening day roster includes 11 returning players, and 16 newcomers under the guidance of Manager Steve Montgomery, who returns for his 11th season in the dugout.
“I am looking forward to seeing our roster get going tonight. We have a young, excited group who are eager to get the season rolling,” said Manager Steve Montgomery.
The returning Explorers include opening night starter Kyle Marman along with the rest of the starting rotation of Austin Drury, Zach Willeman, Jared Wetherbee and Joey Murray. The longest-tenured player returns in reliever Nate Gercken who leads the organization in all time appearances. The rest of the returning pitching staff are a pair of rookies in Jaren Jackson and Jeremy Goins. Nick Shumpert is back for a second season to help anchor the infield and will be joined by late season breakout star D’Shawn Knowles. Zac Vooletich rounds out the returning Explorers and set to add more speed on the bases.
The Explorers will feature exciting new additions in outfielders Dario Gomez who belted four home runs in the exhibition season, and two fellow former Pioneer League bats in Austin Davis and Henry George. True rookie Emilio Corona, out of the University of Arizona completes the outfield positions on the roster. In the infield, former Milwaukee Milkmen infielder Abdiel Layer and Double-A slugger Luis Toribio will look to provide some punch in the batting order. Former Miami Marlins farmhand Torin Montgomery is set to hold down the first corner while another speedy asset will come in the form of former Missouri Tiger Josh Day. The X’s will have a pair of rookie catchers in Jake Meyer and Kurtis Byrne. Bryne had a solid spring at the plate for Sioux City.
Sioux City will welcome six new arms to the pitching staff in 2025. Right-handers Felix Cepeda, Ben Madison, Peniel Otaño and true rookie Nick McAuliffe will be joined by portsiders Chase Jesse and Miguel Pozo for pitching coach Bobby Post. The rest of the staff include new hitting coach Rafael Melchione and trainer Bruce Fischbach who returns for his seventh season.
Two returning names with the team but not on the active roster for opening night are lefty Brendan O’Donnell and Sioux City native and Iowa State Representative J.D. Scholten. O’Donnell will start the season on the inactive list while Scholten will be on the injured list for opening night. The Explorers also have newcomer right-handed pitcher Roy Garcia slated to start the season on the inactive list.
For the second straight year the Explorers will face the reigning Wolff Cup winners to begin the season. Kane County won their first American Association pennant last season in their fourth season in the circuit. The first pitch tonight is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will air on radio on KSCJ and stream via video online at aabaseball.tv. Last season’s closer Kyle Marman is set to make the opening night start for Sioux City while Kane County will turn to righty Konnor Ash for the opening nod.
The Explorers will continue their season opening road trip with two more games at Kane County before an off day on Sunday then will move on to face the Chicago Dogs May 12 to May 15 at Impact Field in Rosemont, Illinois.
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 updates. The official podcast of the Explorers can be found online.
TUNE INTO ALL THE EXPLORERS ACTION ON KSCJ AND AABASEBALL.TV