(April 6, 2021, York, Pa.) — Two big weapons are returning to the York Revolution clubhouse. All-Star outfielder Welington Dotel and towering right-hander Austin Steinfort have signed Revs contracts for the 2021 season. The signings were announced by Revs manager Mark Mason on Monday’s airing of Revs Hot Stove Weekly presented by Shipley Energy live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK.
Dotel, 35, returns for his third season in York. The right-handed hitting outfielder batted .313 with 13 home runs, 19 doubles, five triples, 79 RBI, and 34 steals (tied for third in Revs single-season records) in 125 games with York in 2019, earning a second straight selection to the Atlantic League All-Star Game. That followed his 2018 performance that saw him hit .317 during his first season with the Revs with seven long balls, 23 doubles, six triples, 60 RBI, and 19 steals in 107 games.
Over his first two seasons in York, Dotel has racked up 14 outfield assists, tied for seventh in franchise history. His 53 career steals with York currently stands as fifth-most in the Revs record books, and his 11 triples are tied for fourth. The 2021 season will be Dotel’s sixth in the Atlantic League, where he is a career .313 hitter.
“He’s one of the best defensive right fielders in the league for sure,” remarked Mason. “He’s a really good hitter. He hits the ball tremendously well to right-center field. He has power to hit home runs to all fields. He’s a veteran and has a good idea of what he’s doing at the plate. He’s also a great clubhouse guy, great teammate, and wants to play every single day. He wouldn’t complain if I played him 100 days in a row. He’s a joy to manage and coach.”
The Dominican Republic native was named Atlantic League Player of the Year in 2015 after batting .340 (tied for first in league) with eight home runs, 31 doubles (tied for third), and league-highs in hits (180), triples (13), and steals (45) as a member of the Bridgeport Bluefish. Dotel followed that performance by batting .335 (second in league) in 95 games for the Bluefish in 2016. He spent most of 2017 in the Mexican League, batting .333 for Laguna before finishing the campaign in Bridgeport and landing in York a year later.
Dotel found a home in York early in the 2018 season after initially beginning that year with Sugar Land. He was originally a Seattle Mariners prospect, spending the first five seasons of his pro career in their farm system. He enters his 14th pro season in 2021 as a career .312 hitter.
Steinfort, 25, joined the Revolution in August 2019. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 5.33 ERA in six outings including five starts with York, striking out 19 batters in 27.0 total innings. In two of his victories, Steinfort held the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs scoreless on just three hits, including a six-inning gem in his Atlantic League debut on August 22. During Game Three of the Division Series on September 27 of that season, Steinfort etched his name into the Revs record books by retiring 10 consecutive batters, the most by a reliever in a playoff game in franchise history.
“He did a good job overall,” commented Mason. “He was starting to get comfortable in our rotation. He showed a good changeup and was deceptive. He’s very competitive and he attacks the hitters.”
Prior to joining the Revs, the Holland, MI native pitched in the Empire League in 2019 to the tune of a 2-0 record and a 2.93 ERA across six appearances, including four starts. He also spent part of 2019 in the United Shore League, going 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 21.1 innings pitched for Birmingham-Bloomfield. Standing at 6-foot-9, Steinfort is tied with Andrew Carber and MLB/NBA veteran Mark Hendrickson for the distinction of being the tallest player in Revs history.
A product of Rochester (MI) University, Steinfort has also served as a volunteer assistant coach for his alma mater. Prior to turning pro, Steinfort placed his name in the record books at Rochester with a top 5 finish in single season ERA and top 10 records in career innings pitched, strikeouts, ERA, and complete games.
The Revs will continue to unveil player signings for the upcoming 2021 season live on Revs Hot Stove Weekly presented by Shipley Energy each Monday at 6:30 p.m. on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK. The next episode will air on Monday, April 12, immediately following The Baltimore Baseball Show with Dan Connolly and can also be streamed on 989woyk.com and on the go with The New WOYK app.