Sussex County Miners signs two veteran players

AUGUSTA — The Sussex County Miners announced that it has signed two veteran baseball players to the team.

The team signed Ray Sadler, an outfielder and power hitter, as both a player and hitting coach. Reggie Abercrombie, also an outfielder, has been signed as a player. Sadler has 15 seasons under his belt, and Abercrombie has played 14. Both have experience in minor and major league baseball.

Ray Sadler, an outfielder, was drafted out of college in 1999 in the 30th round by the Chicago Cubs, and spent six years in the Cubs minor league organization. He then moved on to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, where he spent five years, and played in three major league games. He then signed with the Houston Astros minor leagues, followed by four years in independent baseball, primarily with the Kansas City T-Bones. Sadler’s career totals are 255 home runs, 986 RBIs, 207 stolen bases, and a batting average of .272. Sadler is 34 and a native of Clifton, Texas.

Reggie Abercrombie, also an outfielder, was drafted in 1999, out of high school in the 23rd round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. After three seasons in the Dodger minor league organization, he moved on to the Miami Marlins, where he played 111 major league games, with five home runs and 24 RBIs. In 2008 he went to the Houston Astros. He also played for the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A team affiliated with the Houston Astros. He then moved to the Sioux Falls Canaries, where he played for Steve Shirley, who is now the MINERS team manager. After South Dakota, Abercrombie played in the Mexican League. Abercrombie’s career totals are 250 home runs, 944 RBIs, 456 stolen bases and a batting average of .278. During his career, he played 180 major league games. He is 34 and a native of Columbus, Ga.

“Both Ray and Reggie are productive players who are true professionals and quality people. They are solid defensive players as well as offensive, and understand what it means to be professional hitters, year in and year out. As a hitting coach, Ray has the experience and insight to know how to bring out the best in our players at every game,” said Steve Shirley, team manager of the Sussex County Miners. “Ray and Reggie know each other well. They will be a powerful presence on the field, as well as in the locker room as leaders and role models for our younger players.”

Dave Chase, general manager of the team, added: “These two signings show that the Miners are serious about providing a high caliber of baseball to North Jersey and the surrounding area. This coming season, fans can look forward to seeing Ray and Reggie in highly competitive league play, interleague play, international showcase games and much more.”

The Miners are members of the Can-Am Association of Professional Baseball. In its first season, the Sussex County Miners will play 55 home games starting Memorial Day through Labor Day, plus playoff games.

To view a schedule for the 2015 Sussex County Miners’ season, visit: http://skylandsstadium.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Sussex-County-Miners-2015-Schedule.pdf.

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