The Long Island Ducks are sending another player to the major leagues. This week they announced that right-handed pitcher Zach Plesac’s contract has been purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
Plesac will now report to the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee in hopes that he can be brought up to the show once he impresses at AAA.
Plesac has made seven starts with the Ducks, which is tied for the most in the Atlantic League. His four wins are tied for third in the league; he ranks fourth with a 2.84 ERA and fifth with 38 innings pitched. The 30-year-old has been especially dominant of late, having made five consecutive quality starts going back to May 10. During that span, he’s allowed just five runs in 31 innings, good for a 1.45 ERA.
“Zach has unquestionably been one of the Atlantic League’s best pitchers this season,” said Ducks Manager Lew Ford. “We are excited for him and wish him the best of luck with this well-deserved opportunity.”
Plesac has been up in the bigs before. He has six seasons of Major League experience, including five for the Cleveland Indians/Guardians and one for the Los Angeles Angeles last season. In 86 starts he has compiled a 27-28 record with a 4.31 ERA. He also made one postseason appearance in the Majors, tossing a scoreless inning of relief while striking out two in Game Four of the 2022 American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.
Plesac joins a Cardinals team that many believed would be sellers at the break but have made their way into a playoff contender.
He becomes the fifth member and second pitcher of the 2025 Ducks to have his contract purchased by a Major League or foreign organization. An Atlantic League best 10 Ducks players had their contract purchased during the 2024 season. By leading the league, Long Island was the inaugural recipient of the ALPB’s Player Transfers Award.