News

The American Association’s leading home run hitter is coming to Fargo-Moorhead for the 2016 season.

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks have signed free agent 3B/OF Josh Mazzola to a contract. Mazzola had spent the past four seasons as a member of the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

Mazzola, 29, batted .279 with 24 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs, 63 RBIs and 71 runs scored in 99 games for Winnipeg in 2015. His 20 home runs topped the circuit and he finished second in extra base hits (47), fourth in total bases (194) and tied for fifth in games played (99). A versatile defender, Mazzola appeared in 69 games at third base, 26 games at shortstop, 12 games in right field and a game at first base.

Mazzola originally signed with Winnipeg in 2012 and spent four seasons rewriting the Goldeyes record book. In 394 games, he batted .286 with 94 doubles, 11 triples, 70 home runs, 269 RBIs and 265 runs scored. Mazzola also recorded a .353 on-base percentage and a .505 slugging percentage.

Originally signed by the San Francisco Giants organization out of Missouri State University, Mazzola spent four seasons in the Giants chain. His Giants career included two seasons of double-digit home runs with the Augusta (GA) GreenJackets of the South Atlantic League in 2009 and 2011.

“Josh is one of the premier sluggers in independent baseball and players like him do not come available often,” said RedHawks Manager Doug Simunic. “We expect he will come in and do what he’s done in the league every season and that’s be a run producer and play solid defense and a variety of positions. I think he’s going to look pretty good in the middle of our line-up.”