Bio
Nate Gercken returns to the Explorers for his sixth season and is the longest tenured current Explorer on the roster. The right-hander leads the franchise in appearances, going into the 2025 season with 187. In his career with Sioux City, Gercken has a 4.12 ERA in 192.1 innings, surrendering 88 earned runs with an 13-8 record and five saves. Gercken has recorded 188 strikeouts in parts of five seasons with the Explorers. Last season the reliable righty once again made 40 appearances for the second straight season. Gercken went 1-0 while yielding 27 earned runs in 43.2 innings with 26 strikeouts. He finished the season with a 1.580 WHIP and with seven strikeouts over his last five appearances, giving up just one earned run in that span.
In 2023, Gercken appeared in 40 games for Sioux City, fashioning a 3-3 record while yielding 27 earned runs in 41.2 innings with 38 strikeouts. Gercken finished the season with a 1.728 WHIP. He picked up two of his three relief wins in a span of six days on August 1 against Fargo-Moorhead and at Gary South Shore on August 6.
The 2022 season was another strong season for Gercken as he fashioned a 3.38 ERA as a reliever. He went 24 innings while allowing just 18 hits, adding up to a 1.83 WHIP. In 2021, he came into 40 games out of the bullpen, pitching to the tune of a 3.75 ERA with 54 strikeouts over 36 innings. During the COVID year, he went down under to play in the Australian Baseball League for Perth, where he totaled seven innings with two earned runs. 2019 was his first year with the X’s; he had one of his best seasons, posting a 1.91 ERA over 47 innings with a 1.13 WHIP.
Gercken was drafted by the Twins in the 17th round of the 2015 MLB draft out of college, but he quickly joined independent leagues, making his way to the Explorers.
Before joining the Explorers, Gercken spent time in other independent leagues. He pitched in the Canadian-American Association in 2018 for New Jersey for two years, earning a 2.08 ERA in 2018 and 2.70 ERA in 2017, combining for 81.1 innings. In 2016, Gercken had his first taste of independent baseball, pitching in the Pacific Association, earning a 6.75 ERA over 18.2 innings.
In 2015, he played in the Twins organization late after being drafted out of the Academy of Art. He pitched 35 innings in rookie ball, allowing 26 earned runs in 35 innings with a 6.69 ERA and 1.66 WHIP.
Before going pro, he played three seasons for the Academy of Art Urban Knights. In his final season, he garnered a 2.90 ERA, nearly throwing 100 innings as a starter. In 2014, he had another productive season, pitching a 2.95 ERA over 82.1 innings. In his first year with the Urban Knights, he had a 4.42 ERA.