It's the type of signing you'd expect the Canberra Raiders to make ahead of the NRL's June 30 transfer deadline. Not an Australian baseball team.
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The 188 centimetre, 114 kilogram Jerrick Suiter plays predominantly as a first baseman, but the Canberra Cavalry's newest signing wouldn't look out of place in the Raiders forward pack.
"He's a big fella," Cavalry chief executive Donn McMichael said.
"We've been searching for a big bat, someone that possesses real hitting power and he certainly has that."
Suiter was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, and currently plays for the Altoona Curve in the minor league system.
His signing comes as the Australian Baseball League released its 2019-20 schedule on Wednesday.
The Cavalry will open their season at home against the Melbourne Aces on November 21, before hosting reigning champions Brisbane in December.
That series will give the Cavalry a shot at redemption after being eliminated in the finals by Brisbane in the past two seasons.
"Brisbane is always a big draw so to have them and Sydney back-to-back is huge," McMichael said.
"Brisbane are kind of the yardstick, they're the hunted and we're certainly looking to improve our results against them."
ABL 2019-20
November 21-24: Canberra Cavalry v Melbourne Aces at Narrabundah.
November 28-December 1: Perth Heat v Canberra Cavalry at Perth.
December 5-8: Auckland Tuatara v Canberra Cavalry at Auckland.
December 12-15: Canberra Cavalry v Sydney Blue Sox at Narrabundah.
December 26-29: Geelong-Korea v Canberra Cavalry at Geelong.
January 2-5: Canberra Cavalry v Adelaide Bite at Narrabundah.
January 9-12: Brisbane Bandits v Canberra Cavalry at Brisbane.
January 16-19: Canberra Cavalry v Auckland Tuatara at Narrabundah.
January 23-26: Sydney Blue Sox v Canberra Cavalry at Sydney.
