SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE

Phone: 817.739.3693

Website: xsbaseball.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2025 

 

GOMEZ AND MCAULIFFE ADDED TO THE X’S ROSTER

TWO NEWCOMERS HEADED TO SIOUXLAND

 

SIOUX CITY, IA – The Sioux City Explorers have announced that the club has signed outfielder Dario Gomez and right-handed pitcher Nick McAuliffe for the 2025 season. The addition of Gomez, who hit 30 home runs last season in the Pioneer League, and McAuliffe, who had 114 strikeouts over his last two collegiate seasons, brings the total players signed to 24 for Sioux City.

Dario Gomez arrives in Sioux City after a stellar rookie season at Northern Colorado in the Pioneer League. He hit five home runs and stole 10 bases over the last two series of his first pro season to become the first player in Pioneer League history to record a 30-home-run and 30-stolen-base season. Gomez finished the season slashing a line of .345/.449/.693 with 30 home runs and 98 RBI. He would lead the team in long balls and ranked second in RBI on the season. Gomez would tie for the team lead with 30 stolen bases for Northern Colorado. Overall while in the Pioneer League, he would finish third in homers and fourth in RBI, and his 105 runs scored were third most in the circuit. He would finish five runs ahead of teammate Henry George who was signed by Sioux City earlier this offseason.

Gomez began his college career at San Joaquin Delta College before earning all-Mountain-West honors at the University of Nevada. He would finish his college career at the University of Miami. In Gomez’s final season with the Hurricanes in 2023, the resident of Las Vegas hit .254 in 52 games with a home run and 13 RBI. Miami would make the postseason, hosting the Coral Gables Regional but would not advance to the Super Regional after being eliminated by the University of Texas. The outfielder delivered one of the biggest hits of the Canes season on April 13. Gomez delivered a squeeze bunt in the top of the ninth to lead Miami to a 5-4 comeback win over the University of North Carolina on the road at Chapel Hill.

Before announcing his plan to transfer to Miami from the University of Nevada on July 22, 2022, Gomez played 100 games (99 starts) for the Wolfpack over two seasons. He was a career.350 hitter and hit 13 home runs and drove in 88 runs in his two seasons in Reno. In 2022 he would play 55 games and slash a line of .317/.362/.532 with seven round trips and 51 RBI. He would finish second in hits (75), doubles (18) and RBI (51) on the team during the 2022 Nevada season. Gomez added six triples to lead the Mountain West conference for the season.

In 2021, Gomez was named to the All-Mountain West First Team after starting all 45 games in center field and leading the team in hits with 75. He would lead the team at the plate, hitting .393 and putting together a slash line of .393/.415/.592 on the year. Gomez belted six home runs to go with his 37 RBI, which placed him third on the squad. Gomez spent two seasons at San Joaquin Delta College before transferring to Nevada. Gomez was born in Oakley, California and was a three-year letterwinner at Freedom High School in Oakley. Gomez 25 resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nick McAuliffe, a native of Phillipsburg, New Jersey will be making his professional debut in 2025. The right-hander spent the last two seasons at East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. In his two seasons with the Warriors, McAuliffe punched out 114 with a two-year career 3.11 ERA over 92.2 innings. In 2024, he appeared in 10 games, making six starts on the bump with a 5-2 record and a 4.08 ERA over 35.1 innings. McAuliffe would strike out 46 while issuing 18 walks on the season for the Warriors. He would hold opponents to a .209 batting average against him while also being a standout student off the field, earning Academic All-District accolades in his Senior season. McAuliffe tossed a season high 5.1 on March 3 against Saint Anselm and twice struck out eight in a game during the season. His 46 strikeouts were good for second on the team in 2024.

In 2023 McAuliffe won five games and lost a pair while posting a 2.51 ERA in 57.1 innings for East Stroudsburg. He would pitch in a team high 22 games, making 20 relief appearances and would tie for the team lead, earning three saves. McAuliffe would be named All-PSAC East First Team as a reliever and would hold opponents to a .223 batting clip. The team would make the NCAA Division II tournament in 2023.

McAuliffe spent the 2022 season at the University of New Orleans before transferring to East Stroudsburg. He made four appearances out of the pen, working in 1.2 innings on the season. He would strike out three while issuing five free passes and yielding five earned runs on four hits.

In 2020 and 2021 McAuliffe spent two seasons at Mercer County Community College in Windsor, New Jersey. In his first season in 2020, he was limited to 10.2 innings in the shortened season. He would strike out 11 and go 1-1 with a 5.06 ERA. He would win three games the next season against two losses and pitch in 34.2 innings with 46 strikeouts and a 5.45 ERA. He led the team in innings and strikeouts in his final season at Mercer County.

McAuliffe would begin his college career at Division II Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. He would work 23.1 innings in his freshman season with a 9.26 ERA over 11 games. McAuliffe would make a pair of starts during the season and would finish striking out 18 while issuing 22 walks and surrendering 35 hits and 24 earned runs. Born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, he will be 24 on opening day.

Players signed 2025:

OF Dario Gomez

RHP Nick McAuliffe

LHP Jared Wetherbee

OF D’Shawn Knowles

LHP Austin Drury

RHP Roy Garcia

IF Joshua Day

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.