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FARGO, ND – Four Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks pitchers have been named to the Baseball America Independent Leagues Top 25 Prospects, the magazine announced.  RedHawks RHP Nathan Kilcrease is ranked fifth on the list, followed by RHP Brian Ernst at 11^th, LHP Joe Harris at 22^nd and RHP Taylor Stanton at 23^rd. 

Kilcrease, 24, was 4-2 with a 1.67 ERA and seven saves in 43 games for Fargo-Moorhead in 2013.  He pitched 54.0 innings and allowed 13 runs (ten earned) on just 40 hits.  Kilcrease struck out 54 batters, walked 19 and held opponents to a .209 batting average against him.

Ernst, 22, joined the RedHawks in June out of East Stroudsburg (PA) State University and quickly established himself in the starting rotation.  He was 7-2 with a 4.34 ERA in 13 starts.  Ernst pitched 76.2 innings and allowed 41 runs (37 earned) on 77 hits.  He struck out 45 batters and walked 34.

Harris, 27, was one of the best relievers in independent baseball in 2013.  He was 10-3 with a 1.55 ERA in a team-record 53 appearances.  Harris allowed just 47 hits in 69.2 innings pitched while recording 59 strikeouts.  Opponents hit just .187 against Harris in 2013, and left-handed hitters managed a meager .167 average against him.

Stanton, 25, was the American Association Pitcher of the Year after posting a 9-4 record with a league-leading 2.43 ERA.  Stanton made 19 starts for Fargo-Moorhead and allowed 39 runs (34 earned) on 115 hits in 126.0 innings pitched.  He struck out 108 batters and walked just 20.

BASEBALL AMERICA TOP 25 INDEPENDENT LEAGUE PROSPECTS

NAME                                  POS.                       TEAM                                   LEAGUE

1. K.C. Serna                          SS                            Amarillo                                 American Association

2. Pete Perez                           RHP                        Southern Illinois                    Frontier League

3. Tim Adelman                     RHP                        New Jersey                              Can-Am League

4. Jeff Shields                         RHP                        Trois-Rivieres                         Can-Am League

5. Nathan Kilcrease             RHP                       Fargo-Moorhead                 American Association

6. Race Parmenter                  RHP                        Southern Illinois                    Frontier League

7. Marquis Riley                      2B                           Joliet                                       Frontier League

8. C.J. Ziegler                         1B                           Wichita                                   American Association

9. Junior Guerra                     RHP                        Wichita                                   American Association

10. Lucas Irvine                      RHP                        Kansas City                            American Association

11. Brian Ernst                     RHP                       Fargo-Moorhead                 American Association

12. Travis Bradshaw              RHP                        Southern Illinois                    Frontier League

13. Wes Alsup                        RHP                        S. Illinois/Ft. Worth             Frontier/United

14. Joe Weik                           OF/1B                   Amarillo                                 American Association

15. Patrick Mincey                  RHP                        Grand Prairie                          American Association

16. Eric Draxton                    RHP                        Amarillo                                 American Association

17. Kyle Regnault                   LHP                        Quebec                                   Can-Am League

18. Michael Schweiss             RHP                        Normal                                   Frontier League

19. Cam Kneeland                 3B                           Trois-Rivieres                         Can-Am League

20. Jon Dziomba                   2B                           San Angelo                             United League

21. Josue Peley                        C                             Quebec                                   Can-Am League

22. Joe Harris                       LHP                       Fargo-Moorhead                 American Association

23. Taylor Stanton               RHP                       Fargo-Moorhead                 American Association

24. Marshall Schuler               RHP                        El Paso                                   American Association

25. Chris Cox                         RHP                        Quebec                                   Can-Am League