GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Grand Junction Jackalopes of the Independent Baseball Pioneer League; a MLB Partner League, have announced the signing of former CSU Pueblo first baseman Christian Castaneda (El Paso, Texas/Otero JC) to a contract for the 2025 season.

Castaneda joins the Grand Junction Jackalopes of the Pioneer League. The Pioneer League is a professional baseball league based in the Western United States. Outside of Minor League Baseball, the Pioneer League is one of the highest professional leagues, and is one of four Major League Baseball Partner Leagues in the American independent baseball league system.

During the recently completed 2025 season, Castaneda was named a First-Team All-American by both the NCBWA and the D2CCA and was also a First-Team All-South Central Region and First-Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selection after ranking in the Top 10 in the RMAC in batting average (.443), hits (81), runs (63), doubles (24), on-base percentage (.544), walks (36), RBI (69), total bases (141) and slugging percentage (.770). His .443 batting average in sixth in NCAA Division II, while his 24 doubles are fifth nationally in Division II.

During the 2024 season, he was a two-time RMAC Hitter of the Week and also earned NCBWA South Central Region Hitter of the Week on April 30 and is the school's all-time leader in slugging percentage (.754), and is second in school history in doubles (61), home runs (42), RBI (184), total bases (410) and is eighth in career runs scored (156) and hits (221). His 69 RBI this season are ninth on the school's single-season chart, while the 24 doubles are tied for ninth on the school's single-season chart. Ended the season with a 60-game reached base streak dating to last season as he was on base in all 52 games this season and finished last season with an eight game reached base streak. He tallied 21 multi-hit games and 16 multiple RBI games and has had 64 career multi-hit games and 45 career multiple RBI games and tallied a career 1.250 OPS, including a 1.313 OPS this season.

Castaneda will be reunited with his former Pack teammate Tyler Curtis in Grand Junction as Curtis, who played for the Pack for two seasons from 2023 through 2024, is in his second season playing in the Pioneer League and first season with the Jackalopes after playing the 2024 season with the Northern Colorado Owlz.

After signing with the Jackalopes, Castaneda made his professional debut on Tuesday night against the Idaho Falls Chukars. In his debut, Castaneda started at first base and batted No. 8 in the line-up and was 0-for-4 at the plate in Grand Junction's 18-1 loss.

On the season, the Jackalopes are 3-10 and are 8.5 games behind the first place Rocky Mountain Vibes, who are 11-1 this season. The Jackalopes will continue its six-game series with the Chukars on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. MT in Grand Junction.

While Castaneda made his professional debut on Tuesday night, Curtis is 0-1 on the season with a 4.32 ERA. He has made two starts on the mound for the Jackalopes and in 8.1 innings, he has struck out five and walked two and is averaging 5.40 strikeouts per nine innings.

Last season with the Owlz, Curtis was 4-5 with a 7.03 ERA. He made 20 appearances and 15 starts and in 87.0 innings, he recorded 72 strikeouts and walked 23 and averaged 7.45 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Jackalopes, who play their home games at Suplizio Stadium in Grand Junction, were formally named the Rockies after the Colorado Rockies, who was the team's major league affiliate from 2001-2020 prior to the league becoming independent. The Grand Junction Rockies were a Rookie Advanced League team.

Last season, Grand Junction finished the season with a 37-58 overall record and were 24.5 games behind league regular season champion, the Missoula (Mont.) PaddleHeads.