GARY, Ind. — The Gary SouthShore RailCats announced today they have signed former Triple-A outfielder Jordan Czarniecki to a 2009 contract and released right-handed pitcher Jon Mueller.  Czarniecki will be in uniform tonight when the RailCats open their home season at 7 p.m. at U. S. Steel Yard against the Joliet JackHammers.

Czarniecki, 28, comes to the RailCats after being released earlier this month by the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League where he hit .179 in 12 games.  Prior to this season, Czarniecki had spent six years in affiliated baseball, including 32 games with Salt Lake (AAA) in 2008.  Czarniecki was originally selected in the 25th round of the 2003 Major League Entry Draft by the Colorado Rockies and played five years in the Rockies system before being signed by the Los Angeles Angels last summer.

Czarniecki brings an impressive .281 lifetime average to the RailCats, and hit at least .275 each of the last three seasons at Double-A.  After making his professional debut in 2003, Czarniecki enjoyed a fantastic 2004 season, batting .315 with 16 home runs, 58 RBI and 30 stolen bases for the Asheville Tourists (A).

In his seven-year career, Czarniecki has cracked 61 home runs, piled up 213 extra-base hits and stolen 90 bases in over 600 games.  Also a tremendous defensive outfielder, Czarniecki became the first Tulsa Driller (AA) to go an entire season without an error when he played a mistake free 2007 for the Rockies affiliate.

Czarniecki played his college baseball at Tennessee, spending two seasons with the Volunteers.  As a junior, Czarniecki batted .362 with eight home runs and followed that up by batting .311 during his senior season.  In two years at Tennessee, Czarniecki also stole 56 bases.

Mueller, 25, signed with the RailCats this spring after being released by the Chicago Cubs.  In two appearances early this season, Mueller posted a 7.71 ERA and allowed four hits and two walks in 2.1 innings.

The RailCats (2-1) are coming off their first series win in Fargo since 2005 and open the home season tonight at 7 p.m.  Onan Masaoka will make his first RailCats start against Joliet right-hander Rory Shortell.  The game tonight will be broadcast on 89.1 FM, The Lakeshore, and online at www.railcatsbaseball.com.