GARY, Ind. — Gary SouthShore RailCats Manager Greg Tagert announced today that he has picked up the option on the contracts of 18 players for the 2010 season.

The RailCats have retained the 2010 contractual rights to the following players:

RHP Tony Cogan
RHP Eddie De la Cruz
LHP Tristan Facer
RHP Kyle Heyne
RHP Garret Holleran
RHP Chris Jones
RHP Derell McCall
RHP Andy Shipman
LHP Tom Thornton

IF Jeff Beachum
IF Chris Carrara
IF Jay Pecci
IF Andrew Pinckney
IF Mike Rohde

OF Cristian Guerrero
IF/OF Steve Haake
OF Mike Massaro
OF Mike Goetz

Northern League rules require teams to designate with whom they wish to retain contractual rights for the upcoming season.  Today’s announcement does not mean these 18 players are under contract for the upcoming year, and in fact none of the players have signed 2010 contracts.

The RailCats also today declined the contract options on pitchers Grant Johnson, Roman Martinez and Onan Masaoka, catcher Nate McKeon, outfielders Jordan Czarniecki and Rob Marconi, and infielder Eric McNamee.  Those players are now free agents, able to negotiate with any Northern League team, including the RailCats.  Pitcher Aaron Cook is also now a free agent after playing out his option in 2009.

The RailCats begin the 2010 season on Thursday, May 20 at 7 p.m. against the Kansas City T-Bones at U. S. Steel Yard, the first of a 100-game schedule in the new eight-team Northern League.  Season tickets, mini-plans, flex packages and group outings for 2010 are on sale now by calling 219.882.2255.  For more information, visit www.railcatsbaseball.com.