The Redbirds have been listed by Baseball America as one of 10 Mid-Majors ready to break out in the 2020s.
Link is behind the paywall but here is the exert on the Birds
Link is behind the paywall but here is the exert on the Birds
Illinois State
In his first year at the helm, Illinois State coach Steve Holm nearly skyrocketed Illinois State into rarified air. He led his 2019 Redbirds to a 36-26 season, a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title, and most impressively, a deciding seventh game of the Louisville Regional before falling to the hosting Cardinals.
There’s also evidence that it won’t be an aberration. The MVC continues to put multiple teams into regionals, Duffy Bass Field gives the Redbirds one of the best mid-major facilities in the Midwest, and winning games at Illinois State is not unprecedented. Under Mark Kingston, ISU won 32 or more games in five of six seasons, got into a regional in 2010, and won a regular season title in 2013.
Holm is another name that will come up in future coaching searches, so that stands as a threat to Illinois State’s continued success, but the Redbirds have a great shot to make repeated deep runs in the postseason while he’s there.