Miners Add to Pitching Staff, Sign Kurt Heyer
Published on April 2, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, IL - The Southern Illinois Miners announce that they have they have signed veteran right-handed pitcher Kurt Heyer for the 2018 season, bolstering their pitching rotation for the upcoming 2018 campaign.
Heyer, 27, comes to the Miners with an extensive resume that includes success at the highest levels of minor league baseball. Prior to splitting last season between Les Aigles de Trois-Rivieres in the Can-Am League and the Sioux City Explorers in the American Association, Heyer played five full seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, the last three of which were spent with Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. Having been teammates with current Miners pitcher Robby Rowland at Springfield in 2015 and 2016, he made 34 appearances and 12 starts in 2016, with 67 strikeouts and 26 walks in 94 1/3 innings pitched between Double-A and Triple-A, and in 2015 made 41 appearances and six starts, going 7-2 with a 4.09 ERA, 57 strikeouts and 23 walks in 83 2/3 innings.
In 2014, he was a workhorse starter for Springfield and Memphis, tossing 152 1/3 innings with a 4.84 ERA, 109 strikeouts and 46 walks across 28 games, 27 of which were starts. Originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2012 MLB Draft, the Huntington Beach, California native had a stellar three-year career as the #1 starter at the University of Arizona, and went 13-2 with a 2.24 ERA in 19 starts with seven complete games, 113 strikeouts and only 28 walks in 153 innings as a junior in helping the Wildcats to the 2012 College World Series title. For his efforts that season, he was named a Second Team All-American by Baseball America, and was teammates and battery mates with former Miners catcher Riley Moore.
"Kurt's experience and success at the highest levels of minor league baseball to go along with his exceptional work ethic could make him an important piece of our rotation this season," Miners manager Mike Pinto said. "He has had 'big moment' successes in his career, and I am very much looking forward to seeing him in a Miners uniform."
Be sure to follow the Miners on Facebook, Twitter (@SIMiners), Instagram and Snapchat, and also online at siminers.com as they prepare for the 2018 season at Rent One Park!
The Southern Illinois Miners are the Frontier League's winningest franchise since debuting in 2007, winning the 2012 Frontier League Championship as well as division titles in 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the box office at (618) 998-8499. For additional information, visit our website at www.siminers.com.
Frontier League Stories from April 2, 2018
- CornBelters Partner with YWCA McLean County - Normal CornBelters
- Wild Things Sign 1B James Vasquez, 2017 All-Star Retires - Washington Wild Things
- Miners Add to Pitching Staff, Sign Kurt Heyer - Southern Illinois Miners
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