Accardo, Latimore and Castillo join the Flock
(Central Islip, N.Y., April 9, 2014) – The Long Island Ducks today announced the signings of pitcher Jeremy Accardo, outfielder Quincy Latimore and catcher Keith Castillo. All three players will begin their first season with the Ducks and in the Atlantic League.
“We are pleased to add three more quality players to our 2014 roster,” Ducks president and general manager Michael Pfaff said. “Jeremy’s Major League experience, Quincy’s versatility in the outfield, and Castillo’s defensive abilities at catcher will all be assets for our team.”
Accardo has spent parts of eight seasons (2005-12) in the Major Leagues with five different organizations (Giants, Blue Jays, Orioles, Indians and Athletics). In 262 career games, he has compiled 38 saves, 205 strikeouts and a 4.30 ERA. The right-hander’s best season in big leagues came in 2007 as a member of the Blue Jays. That year, Accardo posted career-best totals in wins (4), ERA (2.14), saves (30) and strikeouts (57) in 64 games.
The 32-year-old spent the 2013 season in the Washington Nationals organization, where he went 2-1 with 18 strikeouts in 17 games with Triple-A Syracuse. He earned Pacific Coast League Postseason All-Star honors in 2010 with Las Vegas (AAA, Blue Jays) by going 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA and 24 saves in 42 games. The Phoenix native has a career minor league record of 15-10 with a 3.23 ERA and 81 saves in 240 games (two starts). Accardo originally signed by the Giants as an amateur free agent in 2003.
Latimore enters his eighth season of professional baseball. He split the 2013 season between Akron (AA, Indians) and the Washington Wild Things of the (Independent, Frontier League). The North Carolina native hit .231 with six home runs, 30 RBI and 16 doubles in 81 games with Akron before adding six homers, 22 RBI and three doubles in 41 games with Washington.
The 25-year-old spent the first six seasons of his career in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, reaching as high as Double-A Altoona in 2011. His best season came in 2010 with Single-A Advanced Bradenton, where he led the league in RBI (100) and set career-highs in home runs (19), batting average (.266), runs (84) and hits (138). Those numbers were good enough to earn both midseason and postseason All-Star honors. Latimore was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth round of the 2007 amateur draft.
Castillo has spent his entire three-year professional career in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, reaching as high as Double-A Montgomery in 2013. The 26-year-old played in 34 games with Montgomery, totaling with one home run and 11 RBI, 10 runs and eight doubles. His best offensive season came in 2011 with Single-A Bowling Green, where he hit at a .330 clip with five home runs, 22 RBI and eight doubles in 29 games.
The California native has also excelled defensively throughout his career, compiling a .989 fielding percentage and throwing out 27 percent of potential base stealers. The University of Southern California alum was originally signed by the Rays as an undrafted free agent in 2011.
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.
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