June 22, 2020

By Steve Schuster

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes added three players on Monday, signing right-handed pitcher Dylan Rheault, left-handed pitcher McKenzie Mills, and right-handed pitcher Joe Lienhard.

Rheault (pronounced ROE) made seven relief appearances last season for the Atlantic League’s Lancaster Barnstormers in which he struck out eight and did not allow a run over seven and two-thirds innings. The Garson, Ontario native totaled 45 2/3 innings for the Goldeyes and Sioux City Explorers in 2016, and returns to the American Association following two productive seasons in the San Francisco Giants’ organization. In 2017, Rheault was a High-A California League All-Star for the San Jose Giants, leading the circuit in both saves (21) and appearances (55), while pitching to a 2.70 ERA.The following year, Rheault combined for a 2.38 ERA in 41 2/3 innings, and reached triple-A for the first time in his career.This past fall, the 28-year-old right-hander was a member of the Canadian National Team at the Premier12 Olympic Qualifier in Seoul, South Korea. Rheault’s fastball has been clocked as high as 98.9 miles per hour.

Rheault was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 19th round in 2013 out of Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, Michigan) and enters his eighth season of professional baseball. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Rheault has a 3.66 lifetime ERA with 29 saves in 336.2 innings over 213 appearances.Rheault signed with the Cincinnati Reds’ organization last December, and appeared in a Major League spring training game.

Mills was 1-8 with two saves and a 5.36 ERA for the double-A Southern League’s Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins) in 2019. The Marietta, Georgia native struck out 74 and walked 32 in 84 innings pitched. Mills logged 100.0-plus innings in both 2017 and 2018, averaging 9.0 strikeouts per nine frames during that stretch. Mills has been traded for a Major League player twice during his career. On July 28th, 2017, Mills was dealt from the Washington Nationals to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for second baseman Howie Kendrick. The Marlins then acquired Mills from the Phillies on August 10th, 2018 in exchange for first baseman Justin Bour.

Mills enters his seventh season of professional baseball, and is 20-31 lifetime with four saves and a 4.44 ERA in 107 appearances, 75 of them as a starting pitcher. The 24-year-old left-hander was drafted by the Nationals in the 18th round in 2014 out of Sprayberry High School in Marietta. Mills has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 54 of his 75 career starts, and has allowed four earned runs or less in 68 of them. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Mills has held the opposition to a .225 batting average with runners in scoring position as a professional (204 AB), and ranked 24th on MLB Pipeline’s Phillies’ Top-30 Prospects in 2018.

Lienhard (pronounced LIN-hard) was a true rookie last season, and signed with the Atlantic League’s Sugar Land Skeeters after going undrafted out of Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, Oklahoma). A native of Wichita, Kansas Lienhard made five appearances for the Skeeters, culminating in his first professional start on July 12th versus Long Island. Lienhard struck out three batters over five shutout innings and picked up his first career win.

Lienhard’s contract was purchased by the Kansas City Royals following the July 12th outing, and the 6-foot-5, 235-pound right-hander was assigned to the Rookie Pioneer League’s Idaho Falls Chukars. Lienhard posted a 2.88 ERA for Idaho Falls with 24 strikeouts in 25.0 innings, and helped the Chukars win the Pioneer League championship.

The 23-year-old Lienhard pitched four seasons at Oklahoma State, which included a College World Series appearance as a freshman in 2016. Lienhard’s father, Steve, pitched six seasons in the affiliated minor leagues, reaching the double-A level three times. Lienhard originally signed with the Cleburne Railroaders on April 15th.

Additionally, right-handed pitcher Ryan Flores has elected to play the 2020 season, and is now part of the Goldeyes’ roster. Flores was selected from the Sioux City Explorers in the eighth round of the American Association dispersal draft on June 16th.

Lienhard and Flores will be returned to Cleburne and Sioux City respectively at the conclusion of the 2020 season.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes now have 27 players under contract for the 2020 season. American Association clubs may carry up to 30 players during spring training (increased from 28 in previous years), which begins June 25th.

2020 Winnipeg Goldeyes Signings

RHP Nate Antone

RHP Victor Capellan

IF Wes Darvill

RHP Frank Duncan

RHP Nicholas Economos

RHP Ryan Flores

OF Jordan George

RHP John Gorman

RHP Garrett Harris

RHP Kent Hasler

OF Logan Hill

RHP Kevin Hilton

LHP Jose Jose

LHP Justin Kamplain

IF Kevin Lachance

LHP Mitchell Lambson

RHP Joe Lienhard

1B Kyle Martin

LHP Kevin McGovern

LHP McKenzie Mills

C Roy Morales

OF Jonathan Moroney

C John Nester

RHP Dylan Rheault

IF/OF Darnell Sweeney

IF Thomas Walraven

3B Eric Wood

OF Willy Garcia (reserve list)

IF Darren Seferina (reserve list)

The Winnipeg Goldeyes open the 2020 season on July 3rd on the road against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.