Tim, who was the manager of the West Virginia Miners over the franchise’s first nine seasons (2010-2018) of existence, will return to the field leadership role for the 2020 Prospect League season. Epling’s return was announced by the team on October 21, 2019.
Following the 2018 season, Epling made the decision to step aside and remain solely as General Manager for the organization. But, after taking only one season (2019) away from the field, he will be returning to build on his resume’ of being one of the most successful managers in Prospect League history. He has the most career managerial victories in league history with a regular season record of 300-226, good for a sparkling .570 winning percentage. He also has been successful in postseason play by leading the Miners to seven postseason appearances in his prior nine seasons as manager. This included five trips to the league championship series that resulted in the Miners capturing three Prospect League titles in 2012, 2013, and 2016.
He has had a long journey in his 40-plus years of being involved in baseball. This includes being the founder (and still operating) the Upper Deck Baseball/Softball Training Center in Beckley, WV.
Here is a timeline of his journey throughout baseball:
1981 – 1983: He pitched for national collegiate power North Carolina Methodist College where they finished #3 and #5 in the country in separate seasons.
1985 – 1990: Professional Baseball Umpire at several levels of professional baseball.
1996 – 2000: Field Manager, Liberty High School, a high school located in Raleigh County, which is also the home county to the Miners. There, he led the baseball program to its first-ever Sectional Championship. In five seasons, he compiled a 101-32 record.
2001 – 2008: Head Coach, West Virginia Tech Basebal:; During those seven years, the Golden Bears beat 32 nationally ranked teams. One of the victories was against #1 ranked Emery Riddle, who ended up that season as runner-up in the NAIA College World Series. His pitching staff was consistently ranked among the top five programs in the country. His pitching staff pitched at least one no-hitter in three consecutive years.
2008 – In the fall of 2008, Epling founded the Upper Deck Baseball / Softball Training Center with the intent to bring a unique approach of baseball/softball development to southern West Virginia. Tim often travels around the United States speaking to players and coaches. In addition, he trains various elite players and develops comprehensive programs on pitching and hitting for coaches at all levels of instruction.
2010-2018: At the conclusion of the 2018 season, Tim’s last game as manager of the Miners saw him record his 300th career regular season victory as a manager, tops in the Prospect League over the time period since the league’s inception (of being known as the Prospect League) in 2009. His final regular season record over that period was 300-226, resulting in a sparkling .570 winning percentage. His teams nothing but a trail of success through his nine years at the helm including reaching postseason play seven times while making five appearances in the Prospect League Championship Series. Among those five appearances, he piloted the Miners to back-to-back Prospect League titles in 2012 and 2013 before adding the franchise’s third Prospect League Championship in 2016, going undefeated through both postseason playoff rounds.