Wild Things sign 2, suspend 1
The Wild Things signed two players, including one a former WPIAL standout, Wednesday and placed the player who was their biggest offseason acquisition on the suspended list.
Washington signed left-handed pitcher Kyle Helisik and outfielder Edinson Rincon, and suspended shortstop Jeudy Valdez.
Helisik played high school ball at Seneca Valley and college ball at Villanova before being drafted in the 30th round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012. He played on Seneca Valley’s 2007 PIAA championship team. Helisek spent three seasons in the Cardinals’ minor-league system as a starting pitcher and compiled an 18-16 record. He advanced to high-Class A Palm Beach last year and was 5-6 with a 3.80 ERA.
Rincon, a native of the Dominican Republic, is a veteran of eight minor-league seasons in the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals systems. Only 24 years old, Rincon has played both third base and left field in the minor leagues. He spent parts of three seasons (216 games) in Class AA level. Rincon’s best seasons were 2010 and 2012. He hit 35 doubles and 13 home runs for Class A Fort Wayne in 2010, then had 30 doubles and 10 homers for Class AA San Antonio in 2012.
Rincon was rated the Padres’ No. 9 prospect by Baseball America in 2010.
Valdez had signed with the Wild Things in March. He played nine seasons of pro baseball and was on the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster as recently as 2013.