Players

John Sheaks was signed on November 14, 2023,  and will begin his second season with the X’s in 2024.  Sheaks and INF Daniel Lingua joined the Explorers for the final playoff push just before the trade delaine of the 2023 season. That pair were acquired on August 23 from the Gary SouthShore Railcats in exchange for INF Miguel Sierra and LHP Franklin Dacosta.  Sheaks made a memorable first start for Sioux City on August 27 a day after his arrival in Iowa. The right-hander would toss eight scoreless innings, scattering five hits in a 3-2 win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on the final regular-season home game for Sioux City. The win was also the 500th win for Manager Steve Montgomery at the helm of the Explorers. Sheaks would retire nine in a row before a walk in the seventh—his only one allowed in the game. The San Clemente, California native then would finish off his afternoon retiring the RedHawks in order in the top of the eighth inning.

Sheaks only made two regular season starts for the X’s and one appearance in the playoffs, but the righty had 43 starts in the three seasons he held down the top spot of the Railcats starting rotation.  He went 6-7 in 2023 with Gary with a 5.22 ERA in 89.2 innings. In three seasons with the Railcats, the Long Beach State product has pitched 228.2 innings with 176 strikeouts with a 5.00 ERA. In 2022 he pitched a career high of 99 innings with a 4.64 ERA for the Railcats. He has pitched primarily as a starter, making 22 starts while making another 10 appearances out of the pen. Sheaks attended Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California, where he earned All-Orange Empire Conference Second Team honors while leading the Gauchos to a Conference Tournament championship as a sophomore in 2016. Upon the conclusion of his junior college career, he parlayed that success into a transfer to Long Beach State University for his final two seasons. Over his three seasons in Long Beach, Sheaks compiled a 10-5 record along with 71 strikeouts in 124.1 innings split between the starting rotation and the bullpen.

Sheaks hails from San Clemente, Californian and played two seasons on the varsity team for San Clemente High School. He recorded an 8-4 record with a 2.47 ERA in 68 innings pitched as a senior in 2014. Sheaks made seven starts and appeared six games in relief as a senior, striking out 39 batters with 17 walks.