Ralph Santana, a special instructor with the Southern Illinois Miners who has been with the team since its first season, will have his number retired during a ceremony this summer.
Santana's No. 20 will be retired ahead of the Miners' home game against Joliet on June 10, according to a news release on the team's website.
Santana began with the Miners as a player in the franchise's first season in 2007. In his only season as a player for Southern Illinois, Santana hit .342 with a Frontier League-high 126 hits. He became the team's hitting coach in 2008, earning the 2012 Frontier League Coach of the Year award along the way. As a special instructor, Santana works on base running and infield play with the team.
"It's a great honor to have your number retired," Santana said in the news release. "I want to thank (owners) Jayne and John Simmons as well as (Manager) Mike Pinto for giving me the opportunity. No words can express what you have done. I feel completely humbled and blessed."
Santana's number will be the third retired by the franchise, joining Joey Metropoulos (No. 31) and Ryan Bird (No. 13).
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