The Cologne Cardinals have signed right-handed pitcher Alex Rivers for the upcoming season in the German Baseball-Bundesliga. The 24-year-old is going to replace Joshua Tamba (left for Therwil Flyers) as foreign starting pitcher in game two each week. The 2010 draft pick of the Kansas City Royals is coming from the Schaumburg Boomers of the independent Frontier League. He also played for Fargo-Moorhead in 2012. Overall he has a 7-9 record with an ERA of 5.02 in 63 games (12 starts) in professional baseball. He played two seasons affiliated ball in the Royals organization, reaching High-A in 2011. The Californian is a graduate of Santa Clara University. Cardinals head coach Georg Apfelbaum is convinced that Rivers will not only help Cologne winning, but also to develop players for the Baseball-Bundesliga.