SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2025
EXPLORERS SIGN RIGHT-HANDER CEPEDA
VERSATILE ARM ADDED FOR 2025
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers have announced that the club has signed right-handed pitcher Felix Cepeda for the 2025 season. The addition of Cepeda brings the total of players signed for the 2025 season to 17. He is the eighth pitcher the Explorers had added during the offseason.
Felix Cepeda comes to the American Association after spending six seasons with the Boston Red Sox organization. The righty would reach AA in 2024, going 0-2 with a 5.57 ERA in 30 relief appearances for Portland of the Eastern League. Cepeda threw 42 innings, surrendering 46 hits and 36 earned runs while striking out 37 and walking 20. He finished with a 1.572 WHIP and finished tied for fourth on the club in appearances for the season. This winter Cepeda pitched in eight games for Algodoneros de Guasave in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. He would post a 2-1 record with a 9.00 ERA all in relief.
In 2023, Cepeda was invited to the Arizona Fall League after making two stops in the Red Sox system. In Glendale he had a fall record of 1-1 in eight relief appearances with one save. He would strike out six with just three walks in the AFL. Cepeda began the 2023 season at A level Salem in the Carolina League. He went 3-3 with two saves and a 3.03 ERA in 19 games over 32.2 relief innings. Cepeda added 39 strikeouts while walking 23 and surrendering 11 earned runs on 27 hits to finish half the season with a 1.531 WHIP. His numbers would earn a midseason promotion to High A Greenville in the South Atlantic League. Cepeda would make 14 appearances out of the Greenville Drive pen with a 0-1 record but would notch 4 saves with a 1.33 ERA. He finished with a 0.787 WHIP in 20.1 innings with 20 strikeouts and just six free passes. Cepeda yielded three earned runs on just 10 hits.
Cepeda spent the entire 2022 season at Salem in the Carolina League, posting a 3-4 record and a 6.20 ERA for the season. He would notch two saves while pitching in 49.1 innings but added a pair of starting nods for the Drive. His 28 games was good for fourth on the team while he would punch-out 55 batters while walking 49. Cepeda allowed 34 earned runs on 39 hits and finished with a 1.784 WHIP on the season.
In 2021 Cepeda spent the season with the Rookie level Red Sox in the Florida Complex League. He went 1-2 for the season in six games while making five starts. In 21.1 innings Cepeda struck out 26 with 18 walks, giving up 11 earned runs on 18 hits—good for a 4.64 ERA on the year.
Before the postponed 2020 season, Cepeda made his stateside debut, going 2-4 with a 6.16 ERA for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He pitched in 10 games making eight starts and tossing 38 innings. He would strike out 29 while issuing 20 walks while also surrendering 26 earned runs on 39 hits. Cepeda would finish with a 1.553 WHIP for the year. He would sign with Boston just prior to his 17th birthday and make his professional debut in his native Dominican Republic in 2017 with the Red Sox 1 of the DSL. Cepeda made four starts, totaling six innings with 10 strikeouts. He would go 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA in his rookie season.
Cepeda hails from Bonao in the Dominican Republic and was an international free agent signee by Boston in July of 2017. He throws a fastball, curveball, slider and changeup and brings the ability to be a starter or reliever for the Explorers in 2025. He was rated the 37th prospect for Boston by soxprospects.com when the 2020 season was postponed.
Players signed 2025:
RHP Felix Cepeda
LHP Brendan O’Donnell
C Jake Meyer
RHP Heitor Tokar
IF Luis Toribio
IF Abdiel Layer
OF Jose Layer
OF Austin Davis
OF Zac Vooletich
LHP Miguel Pozo
OF Emilio Corona
C/1B Kurtis Byrne
LHP Chase Jessee
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. The official podcast of the Explorers can be found online and tune into the live show on Facebook Live during the offseason for more news and Explorers content.