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Eleven years ago, Southern Illinois (Marion, specifically) got an independent minor league baseball team. They are part of the Federal League, which for the last 25 years has brought baseball to the Midwest, making it the most established league of its kind. As an independent league, it is not affiliated with a professional team like many minor leagues are. These are players who excelled at the college ranks and are trying to make their way to professional baseball.
Which means, it's unlikely that you will see a future star, but it's not an impossibility. To date, there has only been one Miner who has become a recognizable name- Washington Nationals (and Team USA) pitcher Tanner Roark. Ironically, Roark's stats in four starts as a Miner look awful. Besides Roark, there have been two other players - also pitchers- who have played for the MIners and made the majors.
In any case, I enjoy attending a Miners game as they have a quality product. I happened to catch a doubleheader with the Florence (KY) Freedom.
The Miners despite their history have not had a great year, but they have cobbled a few winning streaks together. Catcher Chance Shephard is the cream of the crop - He starred at North Carolina State and played two seasons of single A ball for the Nationals. He is trying to still establish a path to the majors. The other miner named to the All-Star team for the Frontier League was the wonderfully named DH Romeo Cortina who played at a Division II college.
The Miners also have two Eastern Illinois alumni speedster Joe Duncan and Pitcher Michael Starcevich. Starcevich looked fine in his start (I understood it to be his first start after some relief appearances) but it wasn't enough.
The Miners dropped both games by razor slim margins 2-1 and 1-0.
Florence had three All-Stars- DH Jordan Brower (a former Miner), 1B Jacob Wark (who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves) and OF Keivan Berges, another small school standout at Keiser University.
Which means, it's unlikely that you will see a future star, but it's not an impossibility. To date, there has only been one Miner who has become a recognizable name- Washington Nationals (and Team USA) pitcher Tanner Roark. Ironically, Roark's stats in four starts as a Miner look awful. Besides Roark, there have been two other players - also pitchers- who have played for the MIners and made the majors.
In any case, I enjoy attending a Miners game as they have a quality product. I happened to catch a doubleheader with the Florence (KY) Freedom.
The Miners despite their history have not had a great year, but they have cobbled a few winning streaks together. Catcher Chance Shephard is the cream of the crop - He starred at North Carolina State and played two seasons of single A ball for the Nationals. He is trying to still establish a path to the majors. The other miner named to the All-Star team for the Frontier League was the wonderfully named DH Romeo Cortina who played at a Division II college.
The Miners also have two Eastern Illinois alumni speedster Joe Duncan and Pitcher Michael Starcevich. Starcevich looked fine in his start (I understood it to be his first start after some relief appearances) but it wasn't enough.
The Miners dropped both games by razor slim margins 2-1 and 1-0.
Florence had three All-Stars- DH Jordan Brower (a former Miner), 1B Jacob Wark (who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves) and OF Keivan Berges, another small school standout at Keiser University.
