(Greensboro, NC) The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Kieran Mattison will be the new manager for the 2020 Greensboro Grasshoppers. Pitching coach Stan Kyles and hitting coach Jonny Tucker will join Mattison. Matt McNamee will be the Athletic Trainer and Adam Marso the strength and conditioning coach.
Kieran Mattison is in his fourth season as a manager in the Pirates system. He spent the 2019 season with Bristol and led the club to a 34-33 record, with a postseason berth for the first time since 2002. He led the West Virginia Black Bears to a 32-44 record in 2018 and guided the DSL Pirates to a 36-34 mark in 2017.
The former right-handed pitcher attended East Carolina University and was signed by Kansas City as a non-drafted free agent in 2002. Kieran pitched for five minor league seasons in the Kansas City, Cleveland and Los Angeles (NL) organizations, in addition to playing in various independent leagues and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League through 2010.
Stan Kyles returns to the Hoppers for his second year as pitching coach, his eighth season with the Pittsburgh organization and his 30th year as a minor league instructor.
He spent four seasons (2015-18) with Indianapolis after working for two years (2013-14) in the same capacity with Altoona. Kyles also spent four seasons as the bullpen coach with the Brewers and 12 overall in the Milwaukee organization. He began his coaching career with Bend of the independent Western League in 1991.
Kyles was originally selected by Chicago in the fourth round of the 1979 June Draft and pitched for 11 seasons in the minor leagues with the Cubs (1979-1983), Athletics (1984-87), Dodgers (1988), Giants (1989) and Brewers (1989).
Jonny Tucker is in his first year with the Hoppers and his second with the Pirates organization. He spent 2019 campaign with the West Virginia Black Bears.
Tucker was selected by Baltimore in the 20th round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, played nine seasons in the Orioles farm system (2004-2010), and two seasons (2011-12) in the Washington farm system. The former infielder/outfielder also spent parts of four seasons playing for the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League and captured the championship in 2015.
Matt McNamee is in his third season as athletic trainer with the Pittsburgh organization and spent 2019 with the Bristol Pirates and 2018 with the DSL Pirates.
Adam Marso is in his third season as strength and conditioning coach with the Pittsburgh organization and his first with Greensboro. He spent the last two years with the Dominican Summer League affiliate.
The Greensboro Grasshoppers Opening Day is set for Thursday, April 9. Season tickets, mini ticket plans and advertising packages are now on sale for the 2020 season.
For more information, please contact the Grasshoppers office at 336.268.2255.