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The Southern Illinois Miners announce the return of left-handed starting pitchers Rick Teasley and Michael Carden for the 2015 season.
Teasley is coming off a league-leading season in 2014. His 11 wins were tops in the Frontier League this past campaign, and also tied him with Blake Nation (2013) and Shawn Gilblair (2012) for second-most in a single season in team history. For the season, Teasley appeared in 20 games (all starts) and tossed an even 116 innings while not once missing a scheduled start. He finished 2014 with an 11-5 record and a 3.57 ERA, allowing just 106 hits while striking out 81. A career highlight came on June 5th, 2014, when Teasley pitched the first no-hitter in Miners history in a 2-0 victory over the Joliet Slammers in the first game of a doubleheader sweep.
Originally drafted in the 23rd round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft by Tampa Bay, the Fort Pierce, Forida native appeared in 17 games in the Rays organization with a 2.77 ERA.
“Rick had an outstanding year for us last season,” Miners manager Mike Pinto said. “He was a workhorse, and a guy we could count on every five days to give us a chance to win. His no hitter was a special moment for him as well as for Miners fans and will be a game we won’t forget. We are looking forward to having Rick as one of our leaders in the rotation next season as well.”
Carden is beginning his third year in a Miners uniform. In 2014, he was a dependable starter for Southern Illinois, finishing with a 6-4 record over 18 starts and, like Teasley, owning a 3.57 ERA. He also struck out 55 batters over 108 1/3 innings pitched.
“Michael has continued to get better with each season,” Pinto added. “In 2014, he showed not only durability, but a mental toughness on the mound that made him a go-to guy for us all season while his ERA improved by a run per game over his rookie season. I am looking forward to his further development in this year’s rotation.”
