CHICO- On Wednesday, August 3rd, the Chico Outlaws have announced that the contract of Chris Lubanski has been purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Outlaws centerfielder and clean-up hitter will be headed to the Phillies AA team, the Reading Phillies. It didn't take long for the former fifth overall draft pick to find his way back to affiliated ball. Just last year, Lubanski patrolled centerfield for the Las Vegas 51's, the AAA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. In 100 games facing AAA competition, Lubanski hit .293 with 17 home runs and 57 RBI.

Lubanski spent eight seasons in the minor leagues after being drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of high school. He reached triple A on three separate occasions, and is now only one step away from getting there again. He will now look ahead to being in the thick of a playoff push. With 33 games to go on the season, the Reading Phillies are currently tied for second in the Eastern division of the Eastern League and only three games back from leading the division. The team is managed by former Chico Outlaws skipper Mark Parent and former Outlaw's ace Derrick Loop is one of the team's top relief pitchers.

Chris Lubanski is the second Outlaws player to be acquired by Major League organizations this year, as starting pitcher Jim Paduch was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this season. The North American Baseball League is certainly gaining a reputation among big league organizations as a league that harvests quality baseball talent as this is the 11th player acquired since the league was formed last November.  Lubanski marks the 14th Outlaw player purchased by a Major League team since the Chico Outlaws inaugural year of 2005 with Daniel Nava reaching the majors and many already in AAA.

-Bryan Feathers, with contributions from NABL League Staff