The Southern Illinois Miners have announced that catcher Brendan Akashian will return to the Miners for the 2010 season after spending 2009 with the Philadelphia Phillies single-A affiliate in Lakewood, N.J.
The left-handed hitting catcher led the Frontier League in on-base percentage in 2008 with a .442 mark as he helped the Miners to a playoff berth. He joined the team in June 2008 following his college career at Holy Cross University and made an immediate impact. In 69 games with the Miners in 2008 he hit .302 with 13 doubles, a triple and a home run. His .302 average ranked in the top 20 and third best among rookies in the league.
