Thrillville Thrillbillies
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| Thrillville Thrillbillies | |
|---|---|
 Logo | |
| Information | |
| League | Prospect League (Western Conference – South Division) |
| Location | Marion, Illinois |
| Ballpark | Marion Stadium |
| Founded | 2023 |
| League championships | 0 |
| Division championships | 2 (2023, 2024) |
| Colors | Black, orange, red, gray, white |
| Mascot | Ryder the Rabbit[1] |
| Ownership | Rodney Cabaness, Shad Zimbro & Black Diamond Family of Businesses[2][3] |
| General manager | Ralph Santana[4] |
| Manager | Patrick Morey[5][6] |
| Website | thrillbillies |
The Thrillville Thrillbillies are a collegiate summer league baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Marion, Illinois, and play their home games at Marion Stadium. The Thrillbillies and other collegiate summer leagues and teams exist to give top college players a professional-like experience without affecting NCAA eligibility.
The Thrillbillies play in the Prospect League's Western Conference – South Division along with the Alton River Dragons, Cape Catfish, Jackson Rockabillys, and O'Fallon Hoots.[7]
Marion's previous summer baseball team was the Southern Illinois Miners, a professional independent team that played in the Frontier League from the team's inception in 2007 to its folding in 2021. On October 6, 2021, the Miners folded when their owners, Jayne and John Simmons, retired, leaving the city of Marion without a team.[8][9][10]
On August 24, 2022, the Prospect League announced that a franchise had been awarded to the city of Marion, with Black Diamond Family of Businesses, Rodney Cabaness, and Shad Zimbro as the owners of the team.[11][12]
On February 24, 2023, the team was officially named the Thrillbillies.[13][14][15]
Stadium
The Thrillbillies play at Marion Stadium, a 7,000-seat facility owned and operated by Marion Stadium LLC.[16][17] The facility was built in 2007 and is located at 1000 Miners Drive in Marion.[18]
Seasons
| Season | Manager | Record | Win % | League | Division | GB | Post-season record | Post-season win % | Post-season result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Ralph Santana | 34–21 | .618 | 3rd | 2nd | 4.0 | 1–1 | .500 | Won Prairie Land Division Championship (Cape) Lost Western Conference Championship (Quincy) | Inaugural season |
| 2024 | Ralph Santana | 31–24 | .564 | 6th | 2nd | 2.0 | 1–1 | .500 | Won South Division Championship (Cape) Lost Western Conference Championship (Illinois Valley) | |
| 2025 | Patrick Morey | 27–26 | .509 | 8th | 3rd | 12.5 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2026 | Patrick Morey | 0–0 | – | – | – | – | 0–0 | – | – | |
| Totals | 92–71 | .564 | 2–2 | .500 |
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