Bio
The Explorers signed LHP Austin Drury on June 4, 2024, marking a return of a key piece of the 2023 starting rotation that helped the Explorers grab a post-season spot. The native of Tampa, Florida was fantastic down the stretch for Sioux City and won four straight starts to close out the season, including a pair in the playoffs. He finished the regular season with back-to-back quality starts on August 24 and 30, giving up just one earned run in 12 innings with 12 strikeouts.
In the post season he picked up two more wins, beating the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on September 6 in Fargo—going five innings and allowing one earned run on nine hits—then beating the Kansas City Monarchs on September 11—giving up one earned run on two hits over 5.2 innings. Drury added another 12 strikeout outs in the post season.
Drury finished strong overall in 2023 for Sioux City. He would allow just seven earned runs over his final seven starts, totaling 39.1 innings with a 1.61 ERA during that stretch. Drury would go 5-5 overall during the regular season in 20 starts with a 3.78 ERA. He would strike out 98 while walking 53 in 109.1 innings.
Drury pitched for the Dodgers organization from 2018-22, pitching in 81.0 innings in AA between 2021-22. He’s entering his fifth full season of professional baseball after spending last year with the Explorers and the beginning of this season in Mexico. In Mexico he made six starts for Leon, going 1-4 in 20.1 innings and surrendering 34 hits and 25 earned runs. He would walk 15 and strikeout 16 and post a 11.07 ERA. He would make one start for Oaxaca, working in two innings and allowing three earned runs with two strikeouts.
Prior to coming to Sioux City in 2023, he spent 2022 with AA Tulsa. He tossed 37.1 IP with a 4.34 ERA, and 30 strikeouts in 28 games. The previous year was his first season in AA after being promoted from High-A Great Lakes. With Tulsa that year, he had a 4.53 ERA with 49 strikeouts over 43.2 IP. In High-A he pitched a 3.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 24.0 IP.
2019 was Drury’s first full season of pro baseball, pitching between High-A and Class-A throughout the year. Overall, he went 64.0 IP with a 3.09 ERA and 70 strikeouts between both levels as a 21-year-old. In 2018, he was drafted by the Dodgers after three seasons at North Florida. In his first professional stint, he went 29.2 innings with a 1.21 ERA between rookie ball and Class-A after converting to a full-time reliever.
In college, Drury pitched almost exclusively a starter, starting 37 games of 40. His last season saw him go 68.2 IP with a 4.85 ERA and 58 strikeouts across 13 contests. In his first two seasons, he went 12-3 over 146 innings with a 3.51 ERA and 109 strikeouts.