North Fork Profiles

Yankees purchase contract of Southold’s Dave Kubiak

David Kubiak Southold Yankees

When Southold’s Dave Kubiak was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011, he admitted to The Suffolk Times that it might be a little unusual he has a New York Yankees logo tattooed on the inside of his left arm.

Now that doesn’t matter much. The right-handed reliever is a member of the Yankees organization.

The hometown team purchased Kubiak’s contract Wednesday from the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League, where he was playing for the first time this season. He will now report to Double-A Trenton of the Eastern League, Blue Fish officials said.

“Kubiak has proven to be an extremely reliable reliever,” said Paul Herrmann, Bluefish senior director of baseball operations and public relations, in a statement. “We are very happy for David and may the force be with him.”

Kubiak had made five appearances with the Bluefish, collecting a 3.17 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched.

The 26-year-old made his professional debut in 2011 after being selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 36th round of the MLB Draft, appearing with two Rookie-level teams. Since 2012 he has played in Independent baseball.

The 6-foot-6-inch Southold High School and SUNY-Albany product boasts a 2.28 ERA in three Independent seasons.

In his 15 appearances with the Rays organization in 2011 he had a 3.24 ERA, recording two wins and 36 strikeouts in 25 innings.

Kubiak’s new team, the Trenton Thunder of the Eastern League, was rained out Wednesday. The team plays at the Akron Rubberducks Thursday before returning home for a three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators this weekend. The Senators are the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

Kubiak joins top-10 Yankees prospects Dustin Fowler and Tyler Wade on the Thunder roster. He is the first of two North Fork natives to be drafted by the Rays in recent years. Mattituck graduate Steven Ascher is also pitching in relief in Double-A for the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League — a Rays affiliate.

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Photo Credit: Bridgeport Blue Fish