(March 20, 2019): The York Revolution has announced the return of Atlantic League All-Star starting pitcher Mitch Atkins and relief pitcher Josh Judy, while adding infielder/outfielder Justin Trapp to the lineup. The signings were announced by Revs manager Mark Mason live on Tuesday evening’s episode of “Revs Hot Stove Weekly presented by Shipley Energy” on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK.
Atkins returns for his second season in York after being named the club’s Pitcher of the Year in 2018. The right-hander was selected to the Atlantic League All-Star Game and went 12-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 25 starts. Atkins led the league with 137 strikeouts, 21 more than any other pitcher. He also tied for the lead in starts, paced the circuit with 144.2 innings, and finished one shy of the league lead in victories. His ERA ranked in the top 10.
His performance established a notable place in Revs history, as Atkins rung off seven consecutive victories from June 7 to July 15, one shy of a franchise record. His 12 total wins tied for fifth most in a season in franchise history, and his strikeout total ranked second, just two shy of the club record. Atkins also became the first in Revs history to strike out 10 or more batters in a game three separate times, including a three-hit shutout effort with 10 strikeouts at Southern Maryland on July 6.
The 33-year-old previously pitched in the Atlantic League with the Somerset Patriots, having his contract purchased by the Atlanta Braves in 2013 and by the New York Mets in 2017. The Browns Summit, NC, native reached the Major Leagues with the Chicago Cubs in 2009 and 2010, making a combined seven appearances over 12.0 innings. He also made three starts for the Baltimore Orioles during the 2011 season. Atkins was originally selected by the Cubs in the seventh round of the 2004 MLB Draft out of high school and has also pitched in the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals organizations. For his career, Atkins is 111-94 with a 4.33 ERA in the minors.
“Bringing Mitch back was something that was at the top of my priority list,” stated Mason. “He has a lot of experience, knows our league, has played at the highest level, and he’s a really hard worker.“
Judy previously pitched in York during the 2013 and 2015 seasons and returns after spending the past three years as one of the top relievers in the Mexican League. The 33-year-old was a 34th round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians out of Indiana Institute of Technology in 2007 and ascended the Indians farm system to appear in 12 Major League games in 2011. He saved an International League best 23 games for Triple-A Columbus that same year. Following a season at Triple-A Louisville in the Cincinnati Reds organization, Judy came to York to begin the 2013 season where he made four effective appearances and quickly had his contract purchased by the Los Angeles Angels. After time in the Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations, Judy returned to York in 2015, going 2-2 with a 2.68 ERA and 12 saves in 53 outings. Judy’s career continued to the Mexican League, where he flashed a 1.20 ERA for Quintana Roo in 2016 before posting a league-leading 15 saves with a perfect 0.00 ERA in the Dominican Winter League that offseason. Judy spent his third consecutive summer in Mexico last year, owning a 2.17 ERA and eight saves for Oaxaca. Including winter ball, Judy has logged 117 saves in his career.
“Josh wanted to come back here and get an opportunity to go to a Major League organization,” explained Mason. “We know what we’re getting with him. He’s a bulldog, goes after everybody. He’s a backend-of-the-game type of pitcher. We’re excited to get him back. I think it says a lot about the organization and our fan base that a guy who has been elsewhere the past few years wants to come back and play here again.”
Trapp brings a versatile skillset to the club, having played middle infield as well as outfield throughout his nine-year career. The 28-year-old was drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of high school in his native South Carolina in 2009, foregoing an opportunity to play both baseball and football at Coastal Carolina University. Trapp stole 20 or more bases in four consecutive years, including an Appalachian League-leading 31 in 2011, and belted double-digit home runs in both 2012 and 2013 before reaching Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2014. He first came to the Atlantic League with Somerset in 2017, batting .327 in 46 games. He returned to the Patriots last season and hit .273 with eight home runs, 18 doubles, and 33 steals in just 82 games played. He is a career .265 hitter with 46 home runs and 205 steals.
“Offensively he can be very disruptive, especially on the bases,” commented Mason. “I like to have guys that can run. We’re trying to be versatile with our lineup, and of course he can play multiple positions and do a lot of different things. He’s a very energetic, enthusiastic player, and he’s excited for a chance to come play here. We’re going to turn him loose and see what he can do.”
The Revs now have 20 players under contract for the 2019 season and will unveil more signings live during the next episode of “Revs Hot Stove Weekly presented by Shipley Energy” on Tuesday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. immediately following “The Baltimore Baseball Show” on SportsRadio 98.9 FM, 1350 WOYK AM, 989woyk.com, and The New WOYK app.