EASTLAKE, Ohio – For the week of Aug. 11-16, the Lake County Captains are recognizing RHP Zane Petty and OF José Pirela as the 20th set of Captains of the Week for the 2026 season for their impressive showings versus the Dayton Dragons.
ZANE PETTY, RHP
Petty excelled in his High-A debut appearance for the Captains this past week versus Dayton.
The right-hander threw four strikeouts in 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Thursday, Aug. 13, allowing three hits and walking just one in a 3-1 Lake County defeat (seven innings).
Petty was one of six players promoted to the Captains from the Single-A Hill City Howlers on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The Corsicana, Texas native made 29 relief appearances for the Howlers this season, going 5-1 with a 6.04 ERA, two saves, and 71 strikeouts to 46 walks in 73.0 innings pitched.
Petty was selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the 18th round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech. Shortly after being drafted, he began his pro career with the 2025 Single-A Carolina League Champion Lynchburg Hillcats (now Hill City Howlers). He made seven relief appearances for Lynchburg during the 2025 regular season, recording a 2.89 ERA, two saves, eight strikeouts, and a .212 opposing batting average in 9.1 innings of work. The right-hander then logged two more appearances out of the bullpen for the Hillcats during the 2025 Carolina League Playoffs, allowing two runs (one earned) in 2.2 innings pitched.
JOSÉ PIRELA, OF
Pirela had a remarkable High-A debut series at the plate versus Dayton this past week.
The 20-year-old played in all six of Lake County’s games during the set, batting .375 with six hits, one double, one triple, one home run, four RBI, and six walks. He also logged a .545 on-base percentage, a .750 slugging percentage, and a 1.295 OPS.
Pirela logged his most notable performance on Wednesday, Aug. 12 in a 4-2 Captains victory. He reached base in all four of his plate appearances, including a go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning which ultimately proved to be the game-winner. The left-handed hitter also logged a triple and two walks in the contest, including a two-out, bases-loaded walk to drive in the game’s first run.
Pirela was one of six players promoted to the Captains from the Single-A Hill City Howlers on Tuesday, Aug. 11. At the time of his promotion, the Maracaibo, Venezuela native led the Howlers with 11 home runs and 56 RBI (10th in Carolina League at time of promotion) in 89 games, while tallying 11 doubles and 17 stolen bases as well.
Pirela was signed by the Cleveland Guardians as an international free agent on Jan. 15, 2023 out of Venezuela. He spent the 2025 season with the 2025 Single-A Carolina League Champion Lynchburg Hillcats (now Hill City Howlers), ranking tied for third in the league with seven triples in 96 regular-season games. The outfielder batted .206 with 65 hits, 15 doubles, three home runs, 38 RBI, and 13 stolen bases for Lynchburg last year.
The Captains will begin a 12-game road trip with a six-game series against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 7:40 p.m. from Neuroscience Group Field in Appleton, Wisconsin.
After a two-week road trip against Wisconsin and the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the Captains will return to Eastlake for their final series of the 2026 regular season versus the Great Lakes Loons. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 6:35 p.m. from Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
Lake County’s road trip and home series versus Great Lakes will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App, the MiLB App, and MLB+, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.
About the Lake County Captains:
The Lake County Captains are the professional High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians located in Eastlake, Ohio. Our mission is to honor the rich history of our organization, while also introducing baseball to a new generation of fans through innovative means. We are committed to supporting our community, sports teams, and each other by demonstrating passion and having fun every day.