ROSTER STRENGTHENED WITH IBARRA, DEAN, TRIO OF PITCHERS

LINCOLN — The Saltdogs signed INF Christian Ibarra, who hit .371 for the club in 2016 before signing with the Twins, along with RHP Leuris Gomez, LHP Zac Person and LHP Kris Regas. They also acquired C Brent Dean in a trade with Wichita.

In 19 games for Lincoln last season, Ibarra ranked third in the American Association in batting, tied-third in home runs, tied-third in doubles and third in slugging percentage.

The former first-team All-SEC third baseman out of LSU (and 2013 CWS participant) went on to hit .240 with three home runs and 22 RBI over 56 games in the Twins organization. Ibarra had a 13-game hit streak, during which he was batting better than .400, for Minnesota’s Midwest League affiliate last summer before being promoted to Class-A Advanced Fort Myers.

Gomez, a 2013 MiLB.com Organization All-Star for the Rockies, is an eight-year veteran that averages 9.5 strikeouts-per-nine innings for his career.

The 30-year old from Moca, Dominican Republic sports a career 4.38 ERA and has logged 80 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level, most recently in 2015. Gomez pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League in 2016, where he boasted a 2.89 ERA.

Person was a 2015 ninth-round draft pick by the Houston Astros. The 24-year old from LSU went 3-1 with a 3.02 ERA over 26 games for Houston’s Class-A affiliate in the Midwest League in 2016, and averages more than a strikeout-per-inning as a professional. Person helped LSU to the College World Series in 2015.

Regas is the American Association’s all-time saves leader with 70. The 37-year old southpaw went 5-7 with a 4.07 ERA for Sioux Falls in 2016. In 802 2/3 career frames, Regas has posted a 3.85 ERA with 8.2 strikeouts-per-nine innings.

Regas saved 30 ballgames for the 2008 American Association champion Sioux Falls Canaries.

Lincoln acquired Dean in a trade with Wichita for RHP Josh Goossen-Brown. Dean spent the last three seasons with the Wingnuts, where hit .275 as a catcher and outfielder.

Dean, a 30-year old out of UCLA, began his professional career with Sioux City in 2009 before playing four seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.