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Kata joins Express' front office

Will oversee Round Rock's baseball outreach efforts
March 7, 2013
ROUND ROCK, Texas -- After spending four years on the diamond in Round Rock, Matt Kata will join the Round Rock Express front office as the manager of baseball outreach, the team announced Thursday. Kata will serve as the head instructor of baseball camps and will assist with the organization's community outreach efforts. He will also help with the development and growth of Ryan Sanders Sports Turf Services.

"We're honored to have such a class act join our team," George King, Express general manager, said. "The first-hand knowledge and experience Matt will bring to our baseball outreach department is unparalleled. He was a huge supporter of the Central Texas community as a player and will continue to be so as a member of our front office."

Originally drafted out of Vanderbilt University by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Kata spent parts of five seasons in the big leagues with Arizona (2003-05), Philadelphia ('05), Texas ('07), Pittsburgh ('07) and Houston ('09). Kata spent a majority of the last four seasons with the Round Rock Express, as a member of both the Astros (2009-10) and the Rangers ('11-12) organizations. He currently holds numerous franchise records with the team, including games played (413), multiple-hit games (116), sacrifice flies (19), at-bats (1516), most hits by a switch hitter (420) and hit by pitches (42).

"The game of baseball has once again presented me with an opportunity to work for a stellar organization, the Round Rock Express," Kata said. "I have called this great community of Round Rock home going on nine years now, and look forward to working hard to help keep the Express as the centerpiece of the sports capital of Texas."

In addition to heading up the Express' baseball outreach, Kata will play a role in the expansion of the business footprint of Ryan Sanders Sports Turf Services, which offers a full line of professional services including field renovations, installations, mound re-builds and consulting on any specific turf management issue.

His first event as the head instructor of baseball camps will come on March 11-13, when he teams with former Express right-hander Travis Driskill and high school baseball head coaches Jeremy Trojacek (Cedar Ridge High School) and Daryl Reeves (Hendrickson High School) for the Express' Spring Break Camp. Registration for the camp is available at RoundRockExpress.com online.

Round Rock begins the 2013 season with an eight-game homestand that includes a pair of four-game series against Omaha (April 4-7) and Iowa (April 8-11). To reserve your ticket plans, including full season, 20-game and flex plans, please call (512) 255-2255 or visit us at www.RoundRockExpress.com online.

Keep up with the Express on social media, at Facebook and via Twitter.

Round Rock Express Baseball, owned and operated by Ryan Sanders Baseball, LP, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and a member of the Pacific Coast League.