Monarchs Add Right-Hander Deason

GARY Ind. — Cody Deason’s baseball journey has taken him from the College World Series to a full season of Double-A. Now he’s suiting up for the Kansas City Monarchs.

The American Association club has signed Deason to a contract, the Monarchs announced Tuesday.

Deason was activated ahead of the Monarchs’ game with the Gary SouthShore RailCats scheduled for 11 a.m. Central time at the US Steel Yard.

Deason was a fifth-round draft pick by the Astros after a superb collegiate career at the University of Arizona.

The Ojai, California native helped Arizona to the College World Series in 2016. The Wildcats made it all the way to the finals, losing to Coastal Carolina.

Deason was the Wildcats’ ace of staff as a junior. Armed with a low-90s fastball and effective 12-to-6 curveball, he earned a 2.87 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 91 innings.

The right-hander moved up the Astros’ system over the next several years, inclding putting up a 3.57 ERA over 9 games (6 starts) with High-A Fayetteville in 2019.

He most recently pitched with Double-A Corpus Christi in the Astros system. Over 21 games (14 starts), he posted a 6.14 ERA and 8.3 K/9.

The Monarchs are looking for their first win of 2023 after being swept in a season-opening three-game series at Sioux City.

About the Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team in the American Association, an MLB Partner League. This year, they are celebrating their 20th year of baseball in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2020, the team partnered with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and changed their name from the T-Bones to the Monarchs in honor of the legendary Negro League franchise that played from 1920 to 1965. The Monarchs won ten Negro American League championships and two Negro League World Series championships in their history. The team featured numerous notable players over the years, including Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, and Buck O’Neil.

About the American Association

The American Association of Professional Baseball played its first season in 2006. It is a professional partner league that is affiliated with Major League Baseball but not specifically with any one team. The league consists of 12 teams located primarily in the Midwest and the South of the United States. Its season runs from May to September and features players who are looking to showcase their talents for a chance to be signed by a major league team.