The Gary SouthShore RailCats have added two more arms to their pitching staff for the 2026 season. In a trade with the Atlantic League’s York Revolution, left-handed Dawson Lane and right-hander Alonzo Richardson were acquired.
Dawson Lane is a 26-year-old from Lakeland, Florida. After pitching at Montreat College he would transfer to Florida Southern and in his final year he had a 2.07 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 61.0 innings. Lane pitched professionally for the first time in 2022 with the Westside Wolly Mammoths in the USBL and has gone on to be in the Frontier League and Pioneer League.
Last season, Lane’s original role was a bullpen arm but due to some injuries Lane was moved into the rotation and was productive down the stretch for Gary. In five starts he would work 30.1 innings, pencil in a 2.97 ERA and strikeout 24% of the batters he faced.
“Getting Dawson back was critical for our club,” RailCats Manager Jeff Isom said. “I really liked what I saw from him late in the season and I’m looking forward to having him back in the rotation.”
Alonzo Richardson is a former farmhand from the Cleveland Guardians organization. The 23-year-old was a two-way star at Helix High School in La Mesa, California. Richardson played shortstop and pitched; Perfect Game would rank Richardson as the 13th best shortstop prospect in the state. After the 2020 draft was shortened to five-rounds, the Guardians would sign the youngster and convert him to a pitcher only.
Richardson spent five seasons in the Cleveland organization going from starter to reliever in 2025. Last year, the right-hander pitched all 27 games in relief from High-A to Triple-A and had a 5.32 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 67.2 innings. In his time in the minor leagues he pitched in 103 games, 62 were starts, worked 407 innings, had a 4.82 ERA, 289 strikeouts and 179 walks.
“Richardson is only 23 years old and has five minor league seasons under his belt,” Isom said. “With his experience and his young age, I believe that he can compete in our league.”
The RailCats will open their 2026 season on the road on May 15 before returning home for their Steel Yard opener on May 22 against the Cleburne Railroaders. Fans can secure their seats now by visiting www.railcatsbaseball.com/tickets.