Struck, DeJiulio Jr. and Vance join Flock
(Central Islip, N.Y., March 7, 2016) – The three-time Atlantic League champion Long Island Ducks today announced the signings of right-handed pitchers Nick Struck, Frank DeJiulio Jr. and Kevin Vance. Struck and DeJiulio Jr. return for their second season with the Ducks, while Vance is slated to begin his first season with Long Island.
“Nick and Frank were both valuable members of our relief corps in 2015,” says Ducks President/GM Michael Pfaff. “We look forward to having them back again this year and excited to have Kevin rejoin us after being signed by the Diamondbacks prior to spring training last year.”
Struck joined the Ducks in May of 2015 and appeared in 50 games (one start). He compiled a 5-4 record with a 2.10 ERA and struck out 52 batters over 51 and one-third innings. The 26-year-old went 14 consecutive outings without allowing a run from May 14 to June 14, spanning 14 innings. He later made 12 straight scoreless appearances from August 11 to September 15, a stretch of 15 and one-third innings. The righty pitched in three playoff games for the Flock and tossed two and one-third scoreless frames.
Prior to arriving on Long Island, the Oregon native spent four seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization and one in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. He reached as high as Triple-A on three separate occasions (2011, ’13, ’14). He earned back-to-back MiLB.com Organization All-Star honors while with the Cubs in 2011 and 2012, combining to go 23-17 with a 3.53 ERA and 234 strikeouts in 56 games (53 starts). Struck was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 39th round of the 2009 amateur draft.
DeJiulio Jr. spent the entire 2015 season with Long Island after making the team following spring training. He appeared in 40 games and posted a 3-1 record with a 2.86 ERA and 36 strikeouts to 11 walks in 37 and two-thirds innings. The righty made 16 consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run, spanning 15 and two-thirds innings, from June 13 through August 26. He also threw one scoreless inning of relief in the postseason.
The 26-year-old began his career by spending two seasons in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He then went on to spend one season with the Edinburg Roadrunners of the United League and one season with the Frontier Greys of the Frontier League. The Florida native played his collegiate baseball at Daytona Beach Community College and the University of Tampa. DeJiulio Jr. was originally drafted by the Angels in the 38th round of the 2011 amateur draft.
Vance was signed by the Ducks prior to the 2015 season but was then inked by the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to the start of spring training. He combined to pitch in 42 games between Advanced-A Visalia, Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno and totaled a 4-1 record with a 4.35 ERA, one save and 63 strikeouts to just 16 walks over 60 innings. The 25-year-old’s best stretch came from April 13 through May 7 when he allowed just one run in nine games, spanning a total of 13 innings.
The San Diego native spent the first four seasons of his career in the Chicago White Sox organization, reaching as high as Double-A in 2013 and 2014. His best season came in 2012 when he combined to go 5-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 30 games (nine starts). The University of Connecticut alum was also a member of the Philippines national team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifiers held in February. Vance was originally drafted by the White Sox in the 19th round of the 2011 amateur draft.
The Long Island Ducks are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Bethpage Ballpark. For further information, call (631) 940-DUCK or visit www.liducks.com.
###
