RUSKIN, Fla. – Former Northwest and Arkansas-Monticello right-hander Grant Black has signed to play with the Puerto Rico Islanders of the Empire Professional Baseball League.

Black recently wrapped up his career at UAM, helping the Boll Weevils to back-to-back GAC Tournament Championships. He was 5-6 with a 4.59 ERA and five complete games in his senior campaign, recording 68 strikeouts and logging a team-high 102 innings of work. He concluded his two-year UAM career with nine wins and a 4.45 ERA, striking out 118 batters.

Prior to UAM, the Newport, Ark., native spent the 2015 season at Northwest after transferring from Arkansas Baptist. Black appeared in six games for the Rangers, going 1-1 in two starts with a 7.64 ERA. He gave up 16 hits and struck out 10 batters.

Black was named a 2011-2012 Under Armour Preseason All-American and was a two-time all-state and all-conference selection at Newport High School.

Founded in 2015, the Empire Professional Baseball League is a showcase league that is designed to give its athletes exposure for other professional independent leagues, such as the Frontier, CanAm, American Association and Atlantic Leagues or even affiliated MLB teams. The Islanders are playing as a travel team for the 2017 season while a stadium deal is being finalized.