Mitch Nilsson - 2014-15 Brisbane Bandits

The famous name of Australian baseballing royalty returned to the Brisbane lineup with regularity last season, with Mitch Nilsson returning for his fifth season with the Bandits in 2014-15. Nilsson's preceding two ABL seasons had both seen him play only a single game each season. I'm sure that his uncle - Bandits' Manager and former MLB player Dave Nilsson, and Mitch's father Gary Nilsson, the Bandits' pitching coach were happy to have their nephew/son back into the lineup throughout the season.

2014-15 Brisbane Bandits Mitch Nilsson card front - ©2015 Adam East

Craig Maddox - 2014-15 Adelaide Bite

Maddox is an American import who played with the Adelaide Bite during the the 2014-15 ABL season. Maddox spent two seasons playing affiliated ball (with Detroit in 2007 and atlanta in 2009) and seven seasons of independent ball prior to playing with Adelaide. In 2014 he played with the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the American Association. In 2015 he has started with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League.

2014-15 Adelaide Bite Craig Maddox card front - ©2015 Adam East

2014-15 Adelaide Bite Craig Maddox alternate card front - ©2015 Adam East

Ben Shorto - 2014-15 Perth Heat

Disappointed I didn't have any better shots of Shorto as he has an interesting story to tell. Shorto is an Aussie who was born in Canada, but who now resides back "home" in Western Australia. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians as a 17 year old, however his initial physical by the club after arriving in the US discovered that he had leukemia.

Following two years of treatment, he played a handful of games for the Perth Heat in 2013-14 as a developmental squad player. He finally managed his first game of affiliated ball in 2014 with the Indians' Rookie level team, although he was then released after that single game. He bounced back, converting over to become a pitcher, adding to his game time with the Heat during the 2014-15 ABL season.

2014-15 Perth Heat Ben Shorto card front - ©2015 Adam East

Scott Wearne - 2014-15 Melbourne Aces

Thirty five year old Wearne was one of several veteran Aussie players who used the 2014-15 ABL season as a transition from playing to coaching. 2014-15 was his fifth season with the Aces, however he took on a dual playing coach role on the Melbourne team, presumably in anticipation of a full time move into coaching..

2014-15 Melbourne Aces Scott Wearne card front - ©2015 Adam East

Kieran Bradford - 2014-15 Canberra Cavalry

Bradford is a Brisbane born player who was drafted by the Canberra Cavalry in the 2014 ABL draft. Due to the more restrictive rules on imports, Bradford played in almost every game for the Cavalry during the 2014-15 ABL season, even though it was his ABL rookie year. He had previously accumulated four seasons of experience playing independent ball in the USA, playing in six different teams across three different leagues, his most recent being with the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League.

2014-15 Canberra Cavalry Kieran Bradford card front - ©2015 Adam East

David Sutherland - 2014-15 Brisbane Bandits

Brisbane local "Goofy" continued on as a mainstay for the Brisbane Bandits club in 2014-15, bringing up his 200th ABL game towards the season's end.

2014-15 Brisbane Bandits David Sutherland card front - ©2015 Adam East

Chris Adamson - 2014-15 Adelaide Bite

Adamson returned for his fourth season with the Bite during the 2014015 ABL season. Apparently he is keen to make a transition over to coaching pafter his playing career wraps up, and the Bite have obliged, decreasing his game time behind the plate during the season and having him double as the Bench Coach for the team.

2014-15 Adelaide Bite Chris Adamson card front - ©2015 Adam East

Mike McCarthy - 2014-15 Perth Heat

McCarthy is a member of the Boston Red Sox organisation who played with the Perth Heat as an American import during the 2014-15 ABL season. In 2014 he played for the Portland Sea Dogs and Pawtucket Red Sox, Bostons double and triple A level teams. In 2015 he has resumed with Portland.

I didn't have a lot of good shots of McCarthy, but I did like the feeling of frustration I think that this image conveys.

2014-15 Perth Heat Mike McCarthy card front - ©2015 Adam East

Justin Huber - 2014-15 Melbourne Aces

Former MLB player Huber suited up with the Melbourne Aces for his fifth and final ABL season in 2014-15. He announced in January that he was retiring at the end of the season and would be taking on the role as General Manager of the Aces for the 2015-16 season.

2014-15 Melbourne Aces Justin Huber card front - ©2015 Adam East

Scott Hillier - 2014-15 Canberra Cavalry

Hillier is a Queensland  born player who was drafted by the Cavalry in the inaugural ABL draft in 2014, making his 2014-15 season with the Cavalry his Rookie year in the ABL.. He had previously spent 2014 playing for Technika Brno in the Czech Extraliga.

The first card features a photo I quite liked of Hillier with his eyes shut focusing as he's on deck waiting to take an at bat.

2014-15 Canberra Cavalry Scott Hillier card front - ©2015 Adam East

2014-15 Canberra Cavalry Scott Hillier alternate card front - ©2015 Adam East

Drew Naylor - 2014-15 Brisbane Bandits

Naylor is an experienced Aussie player who had his second year in the ABL during the 2014-15 ABL season with the Brisbane Bandits. He played in the inaugural year of the current ABL incarnation back in 2010-11, also with the Bandits. He has also spent six years in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system between 2006 and 2012.

In 2015, Naylor is playing with the Kagawa Olive Guynersin Japan, the team that fellow Bandits team mate Masato Goto plays for.

2014-15 Brisbane Bandits Drew Naylor card front - ©2015 Adam East

Craig Stem - 2014 -15 Adelaide Bite

Stem came to the Adelaide Bite for the 2014-15 ABL season as an American import from the Los Angeles Dodgers organisation, and left as a member of the Miami Marlins organisation, being traded in the middle of the ABL season.He had previously spent four years with the Dodgers, spending 2014 with the high A level Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and the Double A level Chattanooga Lookouts. In 2015 he has started with the Marlins' double A affiliate, the Jacksonville Suns.

2014-15 Adelaide Bite Craig Stem card front - ©2015 Adam East

Chad Robinson - 2014-15 Perth Heat

Robinson is an American import who played with the Perth Heat during the 2014-15 ABL season. Robinson spent four years - one injured - in the Milwaukee Brewers farm system between 2007 and 2010. Since then he's been playing independent baseball, playing in 2014 with both the Rockland Boulders of the Canadian American Association and the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League. In 2015 he's returned to the Rockland Boulders.

2014-15 Perth Heat Chad Robinson card front - ©2015 Adam East

2014-15 Perth Heat Chad Robinson alternate card front - ©2015 Adam East

Kellin Deglan - 2014-15 Melbourne Aces

Deglan is a member of the Texas Rangers organisation who played as a Canadian import with the Melbourne Aces for the 2014-15 ABL season. Deglan has been in the Rangers system since 2010, spending 2014 between the single A and high A affiliates, the Hickory Crawdads and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. He's started 2015 with the High Desert Mavericks, their high A affiliate in the California League.

2014-15 Melbourne Aces Kellin Deglan card front - ©2015 Adam East