LINCOLN, Nebraska – The Lincoln Saltdogs have signed five players for the upcoming season, the club has announced.

The new ‘Dogs are OF Axel Johnson, INF Yeiler Peguero, OF Zach Sullivan, RHP Justin Watland and RHP Carter Hope.

Johnson, 27, has four years of professional experience and spent 2016-18 with Joplin and Cleburne in the American Association. A product of Missouri Southern State University, Johnson had a career year with San Rafael of the Pacific Association in 2019, slashing .296/.398/.640/1.038 with 19 homers and 67 RBIs in 64 games. In his four-year career, Johnson owns a .277 average and a .796 OPS in 268 games.

Peguero is a 22-year-old product of Azua, Dominican Republic who spent each of the last five seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization. Peguero has played in 368 career games and owns a .242/.316/.320/.636 slashline with four homers and 102 RBIs. Peguero’s best season came in the Dominican Summer League in 2015, when he hit .284 with eight doubles, six triples and an OPS of .758.

Sullivan, 24, has six years of experience after he opted to turn pro following his 14th round selection by the Miami Marlins out of high school in 2014. Over his career, Sullivan has 441 games with a .208 average and a .563 OPS. He reached High-A Jupiter twice in the Marlins organization and spent last year in both the Atlantic League and Can-Am League.

Watland just finished his collegiate career at San Jose State University and pitched with San Rafael in the Pacific Association to finish last season. In his pro career, he’s 3-0 with a 4.46 ERA in seven appearances and six starts.

Carter Hope is the most familiar of the five new acquisitions after spending last year with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Last season, Hope made 40 relief appearances and went 2-1 with a 3.42 ERA. He’s a former third-round pick of the Kansas City Royals out of The Woodlands (TX) High School, and 2020 will be his seventh season in pro baseball. Hope turns 25 in two weeks and owns a 4.56 ERA in 112 career professional appearances

The Saltdogs are gearing up for their 20th season in Lincoln! Ticket and promotional information will be released at a later date, and you can keep up with the ‘Dogs on our website and social media platforms all offseason long.