CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini baseball team will begin the 2015 season at the Lamar University Cardinal Classic on Friday, Feb. 13 in Beaumont, Texas. Before the Illini take the field, we will preview each position with how Illinois will look across the diamond. Next up: starting pitchers.

Drasen Johnson (r-Sr., RHP - Chillicothe, Ill.)
• Will start for second straight season after moving from bullpen to rotation last season
• Boasted a 2.91 ERA, which ranked 11th in the Big Ten in 2014
• Big Ten strikeout champion (43) in conference play last season
• Ranked second in the Big Ten with 79 strikeouts in all games, sixth with a team-high 96 innings pitched and tied for 10th with 20 walks allowed in 2014
• 9-9 career record with a 3.67 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 51 appearances (20 starts)

John Kravetz (Sr., RHP - Lansing, Ill.)
• Three-year starter entering his fourth season in the starting rotation
• Second-team All-Big Ten starting pitcher in 2014
• Posted a 6-1 record in 13 starts with a career-best 3.00 ERA last season
• Owns a 19-7 career record and is one win shy of reaching the school's Top-10 career wins list
• Boasts a 4.04 ERA in 42 career starts and ranks ninth in school history with 256.1 career innings pitched

Rob McDonnell (r-Sr., LHP - Barrington, Ill.)
• Fifth-year pitcher expected to contribute to the starting rotation this season
• Went 4-0 with a 3.67 ERA in nine appearances, including five starts, in 2014
• Totaled 30 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched last season
• 4-3 career record with a 4.11 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 17 appearances (8 starts)

Kevin Duchene (Jr., LHP - Joliet, Ill.)
• Two-year starter entering his third season in the rotation
• Went 4-1 with a Big Ten-best 1.80 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 55 innings pitched in nine starts in 2014
• Freshman All-American and second-team All-Mideast Region in 2013
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Second-Team All-Big Ten and All-Big Ten Freshman Team selection in 2013
• 13-2 career record with a 2.39 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 27 appearances (21 starts)

Other Illini who could see time in a starting role include sophomore Cody Sedlock (3.41 ERA in 31.2 IP) and redshirt-junior Andrew Mamlic (2.65 ERA in 17.0 IP).