Mike Bacsik - Starting Pitcher
One of Trinity's pitchers that went on to play in the Major Leagues was Mike Bacsik. Bacsik pitched for the Tiger’s from 1971 to 1973, putting together impressive ten-win seasons in both of the Tiger’s playoff seasons. To this day there is only one other Trinity pitcher to have recorded two ten-win seasons during their career. Bacsik’s name shows up often in the Trinity record books as well, in categories like single season earned run average, wins and strikeouts. He was a pitcher that was leaned on heavily in big games in the playoff, and he rose to the occasion, throwing a one-hitter against Arkansas in the Tiger’s first playoff game in 1972 and tossing five shutout innings out of the bullpen in their difficult loss to Pan American in 1973. After Bacsik’s successful Trinity career, he went on to a six-year major league career, posting a serviceable 8-6 record with a 4.43 ERA. Bacsik was drafted out of high school in the 55th round of the 1970 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles but opted to attend Trinity and pitch for the Tiger’s. After his time at Trinity, he began his career with his hometown Texas Rangers, finding major league playing time in 1975, 1976, and 1977. He played for the Minnesota Twins in 1979 and 1980, putting together likely his best season in ’79, before calling it a career at the end of the 1980 season. The Bacsik name lived on in the baseball world after Mike’s retirement however, as his son, Mike Bacsik Junior, also went on to pitch at the major league level. Mike Bacsik obviously has baseball in his blood, and it showed in his time at Trinity as he helped bolster the key pitching staff of the 1972 and 1973 teams.