SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE

Phone: 817.739.3693

Website: xsbaseball.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 16, 2026

 

RIGHT-HANDER CHARNIN HEADED TO SIOUX CITY

EXPLORERS CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE 2026 ROSTER

 

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers have announced that the team has signed true rookie right-handed pitcher Max Charnin out of Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida) for the 2026 season. Charnin is the 15th player added this offseason for the Explorers and Manager Steve Montgomery.

Max Charnin comes to Sioux City after a four-year college career, the final three spent at Florida Memorial. His final season in 2024, the righty went 4-5 with a 4.11 ERA in 13 starts over 50.1 innings with 27 strikeouts. Charnin issued 27 walks and surrendered 23 earned runs on 58 hits, finishing the season with a 1.689 WHIP. His 4.11 ERA was the lowest of the starting staff in 2024.

In 2023 Charnin led the team in wins, going 5-3 with a 4.01 ERA in 13 games while making 12 starts and throwing three complete games. He finished the season with 48 strikeouts, surrendering 30 earned runs on 69 hits while issuing 21 free passes. Charnin would post a 1.337 WHIP for the Lions and was part of a team that would go on to win the Black College World Series championship defeating Albany State University 5-4.

Charnin would pick up a win in the postseason tournament as well, tossing seven innings and giving up just two earned runs on five hits against Rust College to send the Lions on to the World Series championship game. Charnin would be named the tournament pitching MVP and to the first-team 2023 Black College Nines All-Elite Team prior to the tournament,

Charnin went 6-4 for Florida Memorial in his first season on campus after transferring from Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City in 2022. He posted a 2.55 ERA with a 1.338 WHIP in nine games, making five starts. He struck out 25 in 24.2 innings for the Lions in 2022. His only season at Mid-America Christian in 2021, Charnin made two starts while making 12 appearances out of the pen, posting a 8.38 ERA with a 1-2 record. He would strikeout 19 in 19.1 innings while issuing 12 walks and yielding 18 earned runs on 33 hits.

A native to Boynton Beach, Florida, Charnin made two stops prior to heading to Mid-America in 2021. He played at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, Florida in 2019, where he pitched in eight games and made three starts, going 2-0 with a save and a 1.66 ERA. He struck out 14 batters in 21.2 innings of work. He was set to play at Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa in 2020, but the program did not play due to the world-wide pandemic. During his college summers, Charnin played in the South Florida Collegiate League for Delray Beach. In parts of seven summer seasons, he went 11-10 with a 3.61 ERA in 164.2 innings with 161 strikeouts. He is the only player in the SFCL to have his jersey number retired and was a four-time league All-Star and the 2022 All-Star Game MVP.

Charnin graduated from Delray Atlantic Community High School in 2017 where he was a four-year letter winner for the varsity baseball team and was named to the 2017 first team all-district team as a utility player. He played both third base and first base when he was not on the mound for his high school team.

2026 Players signed:

INF Cameron Bufford

C Caden Matlon

RHP Ryan Beaird

RHP Trey Morrill

LHP Ben DeTaeye

C Dillon Tatum

IF Braulio Vasquez

IF Alberto Osuna

OF Yeison Asencio

IF Elliot Good

RHP Tahnaj Thomas

RHP Julio Rosario

RHP Peniel Otaño

LHP Reed Butz

RHP Max Charnin

The Explorers are set to open their 33rd season in Siouxland on the road on Friday night, May 15, against the Chicago Dogs. The club will celebrate opening night at Lewis and Clark Park on Friday night, May 22, against the Lincoln Saltdogs. Ticket packages for the 2026 season along with sponsorship and partner opportunities are available now by calling the Explorers front office at 712-277-WINS. Follow the Explorers social media channels and the club’s website xsbaseball.com for off-season news and updates.

 

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