FLORES RETURNS AND REDHAWKS SIGN ALVAREZ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –Wednesday, January 19, 2022

FARGO, N.D. ⁠— The Fargo Moorhead RedHawks announced the re-signing of RHP Ryan Flores and the signing of Eliezer Alvarez for the 2022 season.

Ryan Flores (RHP), returns to Fargo-Moorhead for his sixth season of professional baseball and third with the RedHawks. Flores made 32 appearances, going 9-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 94.2 innings pitched in 2021. He struck out 129 batters, walked 30, gave up nine home runs, and gave up 35 earned runs last season.

Flores began his professional career in 2016 with the Yuma Hammers of the first-year Desert League, striking out 16 batters and pitching to a 2.69 ERA over 20.0 innings pitched, and turned in an impressive rookie campaign for the Sioux City Explorers in 2017. Flores led the club in games pitched with 44 appearances out of the X’s bullpen, which was also tied for fifth most in the American Association. He pitched three seasons for the Explorers before joining Winnipeg last year. In 2018, Flores played in the Australian Baseball League for the Perth Heat, posting a 4.65 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 31.0 innings. He also made one appearance for Diablos Rojos del Mexico in the Triple-A Mexican League in 2019. In 158 appearances (8 starts) over four seasons, Flores has a combined 17-17 record with a 4.21 ERA, 284 strikeouts, 140 walks, eight saves, and 46 games finished.

Flores played two seasons of college baseball at Richland College from 2015-16, going a combined 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA, 85 strikeouts, and one save for the ThunderDucks in 95.0 innings pitched over 24 games (13 starts).

In 2016, Flores played for the Savannah Bananas in the collegiate summer wood bat Coastal Plain League, going 4-0 with 3 saves and a 2.21 ERA in 36.2 innings pitched.

Eliezer Alvarez (UTL) comes to the RedHawks as an outfielder, shortstop, and second baseman after playing nine seasons in affiliated minor league and Dominican summer and winter leagues. He began his professional career in 2012 when at the age of 17, he was signed as an international free agent, by the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2013, he was sent to the Gulf Coast League (RK) and played in 41 gamed over two seasons, with a combined .281 BA. After a season with the Johnson City Cardinals (RK), Alvarez went on to play for the Peoria Chiefs (Single-A) where in 116 games, he batted .323 with 140 hits, 36 stolen bases, 59 RBI, and a .404 OBP.

Alvarez was called up to the Springfield Cardinals (Double-A) in 2017 and played in 54 games where he had 46 hits on 186 plate appearances with 26 RBI, 11 doubles, four homeruns, and a .702 OBP. He continued to play in the offseason with Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League, who he played for in the past four seasons. After being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies organization on September 6, 2017, Alvarez’s contract was sold to the Texas Rangers on March 21, 2018 and was assigned to the Frisco RoughRiders (Double-A). In two seasons with the RoughRiders, Alvarez batted a combined .229 with 174 hits and 87 RBI.

He was granted free agency after the 2019 season and was released by the Seattle Mariners in 2020. Alvarez has played the past two season with Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League.           

Flores and Alvarez join Sam Dexter (INF), Davis Feldman (RHP), Leo Pina (INF), Jordan George (UTL), Kevin McGovern (LHP), Nick Novak (INF), Tyler Grauer (LHP), Christian Correa (C) Brendon Dadson (INF) LHP Brady Stover (LHP) and Jacob Bockelie (INF) as players who have re-signed with the RedHawks for 2022.

The 2022 American Association Season will start on Friday, May 13^th with the RedHawks traveling north of the border to take on the Winnipeg Goldeyes at Shaw Park. After a three-game series in Winnipeg, the RedHawks head to Kansas City and Cleburne before heading home to take on the Milwaukee Milkmen at Newman Outdoor Field on Tuesday, May 24^th at 6:30pm.

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