The Trois-Rivières Aigles made one of the most important signings in the history of the franchise when they added to their roster a Quebecer who already had played at the MLB level.

Former member of the Philadelphia Phillies, Jesen Therrien, will indeed thrill the crowd of Quillorama Stadium this summer.

The 30-year-old Montrealer appeared in 15 games for the Phillies in 2017. In 18.1 innings of work, he managed 10 strikeouts on three catches and earned a save.

“This is possibly the biggest signing in the history of the Aigles,” said Aigles manager Matthew Rusch. “His experience and talent will help us win games, most likely as an end-of-game specialist. I’m very excited to work with him in his desire to return to the majors.”

Away from the mound for a few years after undergoing Tommy John surgery to rebuild an elbow ligament at the end of the 2017 season, Therrien still dreams of the majors.

He also hopes his arrival with the Aigles will allow him to attract the eyes of MLB teams and, eventually, reach the highest heights of baseball again.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity offered by the Aigles,” said Therrien, who most recently served as director of operations for the Canadian Baseball Academy. “It’s obvious that I’d like to go back to the majors, but before I think that, I have to prove I'm back in great shape. I can't wait to prove myself in front of the electrifying crowd of Trois-Rivières.”

Therrien was a 36th-round pick of the New York Mets in 2010. He was drafted again, this time by the Philadelphia Phillies, in the 17th round in 2011.

Before reaching the majors, Therrien pitched 362.2 innings with the Phillies affiliates, moving from rookie league to AAA.

For Trois-Rivières’ General Manager Sales and Baseball Jérôme Duchesneau, this major acquisition is a real gift from heaven, a few weeks before the start of the regular season.

“Betting on a former major league player is always something memorable for an independent baseball franchise,” Duchesneau said. “And as a bonus, that it’s a Quebecer who grew up in the provincial baseball system, it’s simply amazing. Jesen will certainly be a must-see in action this summer at Quillorama Stadium. We all can’t wait to see him in uniform on the mound in front of our fans.”

The Aigles' training camp began April 30 in preparation for the franchise’s second season in the Frontier League.

Opening Day is scheduled for May 12, when the Aigles visit the Tri-City ValleyCats. 

The home opener will take place May 23, when the Lake Erie Crushers will visit Stade Quillorama.