Veteran Ibarra Headed to Ottawa for 2024 Campaign
Ottawa, ON - The Ottawa Titans Baseball Club announced today that they have agreed to terms with veteran infielder Christian Ibarra for the upcoming 2024 Frontier League season.
Ibarra, 31, heads to the nation’s capital after suiting up in the Mexican League for the Guerreros de Oaxaca last summer. Limited to just 32 games because of injury in 2023, Ibarra hit .198 with five doubles, a triple, one home run, and drove in six. He will make his return to the MLB Partner Leagues for the first time since the 2020 campaign.
Post-pandemic, the veteran has spent three seasons in the Mexican League, with two different clubs, hitting a collective .252 with 26 doubles, 17 home runs, and 83 RBI across 171 games.
Hailing from La Puente, California, Ibarra previously played under Bobby Brown with the Amarillo Thunderheads and Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association from 2015 to 2019, posting some of the best numbers of his professional career. Over a 340-game stretch for the now Titans skipper, Ibarra hit .274 with 55 doubles, 56 homers, and 179 RBI – walking 214 times in the process. In 2018, he posted a career year, hitting .299 with 20 homers and 64 RBI, and a .932 OPS. Ibarra had a career-best 13-game hitting streak and his 20 homers were 3rd-most in the American Association.
For the Saltdogs franchise, Ibarra ranks third in games played (282), second in runs scored (195), fourth in hits (288), second in home runs (48), fourth in RBI (157), and in the top five in walks (184).
After a blazing start to the 2016 season, in which he was hitting .371 with five homers, 13 RBI, and a 1.176 OPS - his contract was purchased by the Minnesota Twins from the Saltdogs in June – and he got his first crack at affiliated baseball. At the time, he ranked third in the American Association in batting average and slugging percentage (.700) and was tied for third in home runs and doubles.
Ibarra’s last independent season in the MLB Partner Leagues came with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in 2020 – where he suited up in 58 games, hitting .268 with three long balls and 25 RBI during the shortened campaign.
Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 32nd round of the 2013 June Amateur Draft, Ibarra elected not to sign to complete his collegiate career at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana). In two seasons for the Tigers, Ibarra hit .276 with 24 doubles, nine homers, and 61 RBI across 125 games from 2012 to 2013. Ibarra earned First Team All-SEC honours as LSU’s starting third baseman in 2013 and helped lead the Tigers to the College World Series.
2024 Ottawa Titans Player Signings
RHP Conor Angel
C Carson Barker
INF Evan Berkey
INF Erasmo Caballero
C Victor Cerny
INF Jason Dicochea
LHP Kevin Escorcia
INF Michael Fuhrman
RHP Shane Gray
LHP Evan Grills
UTIL Jake Guenther
INF Christian Ibarra
LHP Tyler Jandron
RHP Melvin Jimenez
LHP Grant Larson
OF Patrick Lee
LHP Bryan Peña
RHP Erasmo Piñales
RHP Scott Prins
LHP Arlison Rodriguez
INF Laz Rivera
OF Jake Sanford
INF Jamey Smart
UTIL Jackie Urbaez
RHP Brooks Walton
LHP Kyle White
INF AJ Wright
UTIL Taylor Wright
The Ottawa Titans open the 2024 season on Friday, May 10th against the New England Knockouts. The Titans’ home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21st versus the Tri-City ValleyCats at Ottawa Stadium.
For information on season tickets, group outings, and nine-game mini packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.
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