Posted by Titan Sports Blogger

We've been closely following former Westminster baseball player John Izzo (New Castle, Pa./Union) and the possibility of him signing with a Major League organization (links here and here and the topic of our first Titan Sports Poll).

There was a lot of waiting. First, there was the MLB First-Year Player Draft back in June. Then there was the free-agency period when Izzo worked out for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Seattle Mariners. Despite Major League teams passing on Izzo, he finally has the opportunity to play professional baseball after signing with the South Louisiana Pipeliners of the Continental League, an independent league headquartered in Addison, Texas.

Izzo flew into New Orleans early Tuesday evening where a contract was waiting for him. Ron Poniewasz wrote a great story on Izzo in yesterday's New Castle News.

"I'm definitely pumped up about it," Izzo told Poniewasz. "I was disappointed after the draft, but now I'm excited to get away from New Castle and spread my wings a little. I can't wait to see what this league has to offer."

The Pipeliners are hosting the Texarkana Gunslingers this weekend. A link to the team's Web page is available by clicking here.

Claudio Reilsono, Carnegie Mellon's head baseball coach and director of the Paramount Scouting Bureau, was catalyst in getting Izzo on board with the Pipeliner, but Izzo was also very appreciative of Westminster coaches Carmen Nocera and Larry Kelly for their diligent work with Major League contacts. Kelly even met up with Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik, who is a New Castle native, during a Mariners road trip to New York. According to Nocera and Izzo's father Abe, the Mariners were very interested but they couldn't find a roster spot in their farm system. They will continue to monitor Izzo's productivity in the Continental League.