Top 5 Tri-City Dust Devils Starting Pitchers

Originally published on Jul. 6, 2021

By Zane Miller

In the 19-season long history of the Tri-City Dust Devils, there have been 18 different starting pitchers to lead the team in wins in each season. Also during this time, Tri-City has gone 0 for 5 in championship finals appearances, which also consists of all five of their total playoff appearances. These are the top five starting pitchers that I felt have stood out the most during the team history of the Dust Devils.

5. Andrew Kreidermacher (Active 2005-06)

The 597th overall pick in the 2005 draft, Kreidermacher pitched to a 1-4 record in his MiLB debut season, giving up four home runs, 23 earned runs, 61 hits and 16 walks in 52.2 innings for a 3.93 ERA, before having his best showing with the team in 2006, getting a 6-5 record with three home runs, 37 earned runs, 91 hits and 24 walks allowed over 95.2 innings pitched, taking a 3.48 ERA.

4. Steven Register (Active 2004)

The 80th overall pick in the 2004 draft picked up a 6-7 record later that same year with Tri-City, allowing five home runs, 32 earned runs, 68 hits and 20 walks in 79.1 innings for a 3.63 ERA as the Dust Devils went 40-36 on the season. Register would later go on to reach the MLB, debuting in 2008 with the Colorado Rockies.

3. Angel Mejia (Active 2015-16)

Mejia claimed a 6-3 record in his first season with the Dust Devils, allowing seven home runs, 37 earned runs, 85 hits and 21 walks over the course of 67.1 innings pitched in 2015 for a 4.95 ERA, with the team earning a 42-34 record, making the playoffs before being eliminated in the final round. In 2016, he went 1-2, giving up two home runs, 19 earned runs, 39 hits and 15 walks in 37.1 innings, getting a 4.58 ERA in the process.

2. Nelson Gonzalez (Active 2011)

Gonzalez went 7-0 in the 2011 season, claiming an astounding zero home runs, 11 earned runs, 48 hits and 10 walks allowed on 58 innings pitched for an ERA of 1.71. The team claimed a 44-32 record, losing in the finals.

1. Craig Bennigson (Active 2009-11)

The 287th overall pick in the 2008 draft took a record of 8-3 with Tri-City in 2009, allowing no home runs, nine earned runs, 42 hits and 14 walks over 53 innings pitched for a 1.53 ERA. Bennigson returned to the team for a being stint in 2010, being hit with an 0-2 record with no home runs, four earned runs, 16 hits and five walks in 14.1 innings for a 2.51 ERA. 2011 saw him earn a 3-3 standing while allowing a pair of home runs, 14 earned runs, 39 hits and eight walks in 44.2 innings.