Young Arms Helping Cardinals

There have been several young pitchers that have helped the St. Louis Cardinals this season. Many of them have made their Major League debut this season, too.
Jun 12, 2013; New York, NY, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Shelby Miller (40) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning of a game at Citi FIeld. Image Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Last season saw pitchers Trevor Rosenthal, Joe Kelly, and Shelby Miller make their debut. During the 2013 campaign, many pitchers have made their debut for the Cardinals: Seth Maness, Carlos Martinez, John Gast, Tyler Lyons, Michael Wacha, Keith Butler, and most recently, Kevin Siegrist.

“Shelby was a true talent throughout his high school career in Brownwood,” said Scotty Nichols, the former baseball coach at Brownwood. “I noticed early on of his perfection on the little things such as having the proper balance and using his lower body really well. One of the most impressive qualities Shelby has always had is that he is very knowledgeable on the mound in many situations. This all started at a very young age with his father, Mitch Miller, teaching him everything along with instilling in him a great amount of confidence. He faced many dominant teams in the Texas playoffs and Shelby dominated those teams all four years of high school.

“I always knew that Shelby was special on the baseball diamond. It was very evident during his junior and senior years that he would get the shot to be a 1st rounder. The scouts were very thick throughout those two seasons and nearly every major league team had some interest. As for what he is doing now, I’m not surprised at all. Shelby has major league talent and I hope he is there for a long long time. I truly expect to hear and watch many more amazing performances from Shelby. He has the mind and talent to go a long way in the game of baseball.”

“I am extremely happy for Seth in seeing his dream come true,” said East Carolina coach Billy Godwin, who was in New York this past week to watch Seth play. “He is a great competitor and goes about playing the game the right way. Seth doesn’t have the upper 90’s fastball that a lot of the big league guys have, but he throws strikes, has above average control and keeps the ball low in the zone.”

“I’m not surprised by his quick rise, said Texas A&M baseball coach Rob Childress. “He’s a pitcher who pitches with a chip on his shoulder and he always wants to prove something. I think he has the talent, desire and aptitude to pitch in the majors at a high level for a very long time.

“He’s a special pitcher and he’s humble. He’s a great leader and a great role model for the guys the three years he was here, even as a freshman, the way he went about his business. He’s going to have success. Success finds those that are humble and work hard. That’s what he does.”

“The way Keith attacks the game, this does not surprise us,” Wabash Valley College baseball coach Rob Fournier said. “He’s a fearless competitor, and quite a character to be around! He was certainly a pleasure to coach. Very smart draft by the Cards! We’re extremely proud of Keith, and for his family, great people.”

“I’m very proud of him, because I know how hard he works,” said Washington Nationals scout Alex Morales, formerly the head coach at Palm Beach Community College. “I congratulate the scout Charlie Gonzalez/ Cardinals for doing a great job in drafting and signing him. Kevin is a quiet person so he will fit right in. He’s a calm guy as well and very confident. I wish him all the best.”

“Kevin was in our rotation in 2009 and pitched great for us,” said current Palm Beach Community college coach Kyle Forbes. “He steadily got better as the year went on and was a tremendous competitor on the mound. He was a solid leader on the team and was an extremely hard worker. Kevin is a rare combination of being very talented with a solid head on his shoulders.”