MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com-SHREVEPORT, La. – Hit by a slew of injuries to its pitching staff recently, the Shreveport-Bossier Captains made a series of roster moves this week, including signing rookie righthanded pitcher Jimmy Heard, who played at Airline High School in Bossier City and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. He is joined by fellow rookie Josh Collazo, an infielder out of Oklahoma Baptist University (NAIA) and third-year shortstop Jose Salazar, who last played in the triple-A level Mexican League.

Heard is set to make his professional debut in a start on Saturday night against Pensacola, replacing the injured Ronald Lowe. With the Demons in 2009, Heard was 7-3 with a 4.57 ERA, leading the team in wins. The 22-year-old had 63 strikeouts against just 26 walks in 82 2/3 innings, allowing 91 hits and a .278 opponent’s batting average. A four-year player, Heard was 5-0 with a 4.39 ERA coming mostly out of the bullpen in his freshman year, with 48 hits in 53 1/3 innings. The next season, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder was 7-5 with a 4.92 ERA as a starter, and duplicated that record in his junior season, with a 7-5 and a 3.82 ERA, holding opponents to a .263 average in 94 1/3 innings.

A 22-year-old from Dothan, Ala., Collazo comes off an historic senior season at OBU. He broke the single-season school record with 22 home runs his senior season, before setting a new mark this year with 24. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 260 pounds, Collazo left with the career mark of 46 dingers, and set the school record for RBIs in a season with 100 in 2008. This season, he led the Bison with 69 RBIs and a .419 batting average.

Salazar made his Captains debut Friday night, going 0-for-3 at shortstop. The 25-year-old from Dallas started the year with Monclova of the Mexican League, going 5-for-13 (.385) with two RBIs in five games. At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Salazar began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 2006 after playing collegiately with Sam Houston State University and Texas A&M University. After missing the 2007 season, Salazar joined Monclova in 2008, and hit .279 with 37 RBIs in 94 games. A good glove man, Salazar has a career fielding percentage of .969 coming into this season.

The trio of newcomers replace infielder Albert Gonzalez, who was released, as well as pitchers Ronald Lowe (back) and Luke Massetti (right hand), who were each placed on the disabled list retroactive to June 21 and 23, respectively.

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