Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 2025 Field Staff Announced The New York Yankees have announced that Shelley Duncan will return to lead the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2025; his third straight season at the helm. Duncan paced the RailRiders to an 89-win campaign in 2024, finishing with the second-best overall mark in the International League. “Being a part of this organization, I feel very privileged,” Duncan said. “It’s exciting. I said it from the get-go. I feel the same way now as I did on day one. I feel that within this organization, I’m part of the family. There’s a lot of great people here. There are great coaches. Great front office members. Top down, nobody wants to be anywhere else but with the Yankees and I’m about as lucky as can be.” Gerardo Casadiego returns to Moosic for a second year and becomes the team’s new pitching coach. Mike Merganthaler is the RailRiders’ new hitting coach, while Gil Velazquez, Zak Wasserman and Spencer Medick all join Duncan’s staff as well. Velazquez will serve as the bench coach, Wasserman will be the defensive coach and Medick will be the new bullpen coach. Athletic Trainer Brandon Rodríguez rejoins the RailRiders’ support staff and is joined by Assistant Athletic Trainer Nori Subero, Strength & Conditioning Coach Danny Smith, Home Clubhouse Manager Jim Billington and Advance Scouting Analyst Steven DiMaria, who all return to their roles from 2024. Danny Althoff has been added to the support staff in 2025 as the Video & Tech Assistant. “[Having a new staff] is going to be a lot of fun,” Duncan stated. “Year one, I had to get to know everybody. It was also a situation back then where all the coaches had been there. This time, roles will be reversed, and I will have the experience along with Casa [Casadiego]. It is an absolutely amazing group of coaches and I can’t tell you how excited I am to work with all of them.” Duncan, 45, was tabbed as the 20th manager in franchise history in January 2023. He led Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to a 73-75 record that summer before going 89-60 last year. Duncan was drafted by the Yankees in 2001; a second-round selection out of the University of Arizona. He reached Triple-A with Columbus in 2006 and spent portions of three seasons in an SWB Yankees uniform. Duncan appeared in 272 games for Scranton/Wilkes- Barre between 2007 and 2009. In 2009, he hit .277 with 30 home runs and 99 runs batted in over 123 games, garnering the nod for International League MVP. His Major League career spanned 330 games for the Yankees, Cleveland and Tampa Bay over seven years. Casadiego, 44, enters his 13th season within the Yankees organization. After playing 10 seasons in Minor League Baseball, including parts of two seasons at the lower levels for New York, Casadiego moved to the coaching ranks in 2014. He joined Duncan’s staff last season as the bullpen coach, having previously been the pitching coach with Hudson Valley in 2021, Somerset in 2022 and Tampa in 2023. Mergenthaler, 36, enters his first season within the Yankees organization after eight seasons with the Cleveland Guardians. He worked his way up through the Guardians’ minor league system, including spending 2024 as a hitting coach for the Columbus Clippers. Mergenthaler was originally selected in the 32nd round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft by San Francisco out of the University of Richmond and played professionally for three years. Velazquez, 45, joins the Yankees minor leagues after ten years as a manager, coach or coordinator with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations. He was selected by the New York Mets in the 14th round of the 1998 draft and played professionally for 16 seasons, including 27 games in 2013 for the RailRiders. He began his coaching career in 2015 and managed the Great Lakes Loons in 2016 and the Reno Aces in 2022. Wasserman, 34, enters his second season in the Yankees organization, having spent 2024 as the Hudson Valley Renegades Defensive Coach. He was drafted in 2009 out of high school by San Francisco but chose to play college ball at the University of Louisville. Wasserman signed with Arizona after school and with New York in 2016, when he pitched in 13 games for the Pulaski Yankees. After his playing career ended, Wasserman was the head coach at Lake Michigan College. Later, he moved to Xavier University as a volunteer assistant before becoming an assistant coach in 2023. Medick, 33, has been a coach in the Yankees farm system since 2022. After a stint as the pitching coach for the FCL Yankees in 2022, he served in the same role for Hudson Valley during each of the last two seasons. Medick pitched at Elon University and began his professional career with Arizona in 2014. He closed his playing days with three seasons in the Frontier League. After retiring, Medick became a throwing trainer at both Prime Sports Performance and Driveline Baseball before joining New York’s minor league fray. Rodríguez returns to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, having spent the first half of 2023 with the RailRiders. He enters his fourth season with the Yankees after starting with the Tampa Tarpons in 2022. He took the lead role in Somerset midway through the 2023 campaign and remained in that spot in 2024. Before joining up with the New York, he spent two seasons in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Rodríguez received an Associate’s Degree from the University of Puerto Rico-Ponce, and his B.S. and M.S. in Athletic Training from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. Subero enters her fourth season with the Yankees organization and second year with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. She is a graduate of the University of Miami with a B.S. in Athletic Training and earned a Master’s degree in Exercise Science from Concordia University Chicago. Subero, a Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela native, spent 2022 with the FCL Yankees and was the Tampa Tarpons athletic trainer in 2023. Smith joined the Yankees organization in 2017 and has advanced through the ranks, reaching Scranton/Wilkes- Barre last season. He spent 2017 with Pulaski and moved to Staten Island for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. After spending two years with Hudson Valley, including 2021, when he was named the South Atlantic League’s Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year, Smith was promoted to Somerset in 2023. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford with a B.S. in Sports Medicine in 2014 and earned his M.S. in Sport and Exercise Science at Gannon University in 2015, where he served as a Graduate Assistant. The RailRiders open their 2025 slate on March 28 with a three-game weekend set at Lehigh Valley before a six-game series in Syracuse. The home opener is scheduled for April 8 at 6:35 P.M. as the Rochester Red Wings head to PNC Field. “The team we have on day one might be different than the team we have on day two,” Duncan explained. “That’s how it is, so it’s constantly getting the feel of the locker room and understanding the players. Learning their strengths and weaknesses. You try to put the right groups together. You try to build chemistry with the right culture. There isn’t one secret to unlock the potential. To be successful at this job, it’s all about relationships and I have to get to know everybody. I’m going to go in there with an open book, build these relationships right from scratch, not assume anything, and do everything I can for every player, every coach, and the organization. Hopefully, we build something special.” Please direct any interview requests to Adam Marco – amarco@swbrailriders.com Single-game tickets for 2025 go on sale on February 3 at 10 A.M. Season tickets and flex plans are available now. For more information, contact the RailRiders front office at (570) 969-BALL or visit swbrailriders.com.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Publish 2025 Home Schedule The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are pleased to announce their home schedule for the 2025 International League season. The RailRiders will begin their season on the road on March 28, 2025, with the home opener scheduled for Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The 2025 season is once again slated with 150 games, split evenly between PNC Field and the road. “As we close out the current season with great crowds and more RailRiders wins, we can also start looking ahead to what is next,” said Scranton/Wilkes-Barre General Manager Katie Beekman. “It’s going to be a busy off-season with renovations and upgrades. Our front office staff is excited to start planning the next season of fun to help complement the experience everyone has nightly when they come to PNC Field.”The 2025 home schedule is comprised of 12 six-game series and one three-game set. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will host Buffalo (Toronto), Charlotte (Chicago White Sox), Indianapolis (Pittsburgh Pirates), Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Phillies), Nashville (Milwaukee Brewers), Rochester (Washington Nationals), Syracuse (New York Mets) Toledo (Detroit Tigers) and Worcester (Boston Red Sox) at PNC Field.Highlights of the 2025 home schedule include:April 8 thru 13: Opening Week at PNC Field against the Rochester Red Wings April 22 thru 27: Charlotte Knights return to PNC Field for the first time since 2019 May 13 thru 18: SWB hosts the Toledo Mud Hens June 10 thru 15: First 2025 match-up at PNC Field with Syracuse Mets July 4 thru 6: Three games at PNC Field against the IronPigs beginning on Independence DayJuly 8 thru 13: Nine-game homestand continues with Buffalo Bisons in town July 29 thru August 3: First Nashville Sounds series in Moosic since 1991 August 12 thru 17: Indianapolis Indians journey to NEPA for the first time since 2019 September 9 thru 14: Final home set of regular season as Lehigh Valley returns to close 2025 IronRail Series Road opponents, game times, and promotions will be announced at a later time, and the 2025 schedule remains subject to change. For more information, please visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-BALL.
SWB RailRiders Set 2024 Daily Promotions and Fireworks Slate The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders have set their 2024 daily promotions and fireworks nights for the upcoming season. The RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, begin their home slate on April 2 against the Syracuse Mets in the first of 75 games at PNC Field this season. Each day of the week will feature promotions or offers that appeal to fans of all ages and the season-long slate is highlighted by 15 post-game fireworks shows.Season tickets, including full, half, and partial plus the mini and flex plans, are on sale now. Single-game tickets go on sale Saturday, March 2, beginning at 11 A.M.“Our daily promotions are key to the fan experience at PNC Field,” said RailRiders General Manager Katie Beekman. “Each promotion is designed to provide value or entertainment and we change daily to best offer something that will appeal to each type of fan. For years, RailRiders games have been NEPA’s best place for affordable fun for everyone and we look forward to building on that this season.”Most 2024 homestands will follow the standard set in 2021 with a six-game series against each opponent, running from Tuesday through Sunday. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will host Lehigh Valley starting on July 4 in a three-game set on the back half of a home-and-home split series over the Independence Day holiday week.Fireworks will follow the home opener on April 2. An extended fireworks extravaganza follows the Independence Day game against the IronPigs courtesy of the Pennsylvania Lottery.King’s College will present a fireworks show after the April 19 game against Lehigh Valley. Additionally, Saturday pyrotechnic shows will follow games on June 29 and July 27.2024 Daily PromotionsTurnUp Tuesdays – Get $5 lawn seats for every Tuesday home game this season! While at the park on Tuesdays, fans 21 and older can enjoy $2 16 oz. Coors Light cans until the middle of the eighth inning.Waggin’ Wednesdays – Bring your four-legged best friends to each Wednesday home game this season. There is no cost to bring your pup to the park, but the RailRiders encourage a donation to their weekly animal-friendly non-profit of choice. Fans may purchase seats on the lawn or in the bleachers if they bring their dog out on Waggin’ Wednesdays. Wednesday is also $2 Dog Night with $2 hot dogs all night long courtesy of Sahlen’s Hot Dogs.Thirsty Thursdays – The most refreshing night of the week features $2 16 oz. Michelob Ultra bottles until the middle of the eighth inning for fans 21 and older. $2 16 oz. Pepsi fountain drinks are also available all night long.First Responder Fridays – The RailRiders and NEPA Crane & Hauling continue to honor our brave first responders on Friday evenings in 2024. As a small token of thanks, 100 tickets will be given away to our first responders each Friday courtesy of NEPA Crane & Hauling. Tickets are given away on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to four per week per first responder. First responders can register for complimentary tickets by completing the form under the Community tab at www.swbrailriders.com.Friday Night Fireworks – Beginning on May 24, every Friday home game will be followed by the best pyrotechnic show in NEPA.Saturday RailRiders games will once again feature great giveaway items all season long. Giveaways will be announced soon.Geisinger Family FunDay – We wrap up homestands on Sundays with a Geisinger Family FunDay! Gates open at noon and kids can play catch in the outfield until 12:20 P.M. Plus… Kids can get $2 Mamita’s flavored ice or $2 Dippin’ Dots all game long. After the final out, children 12 and younger can run the bases, capping the best way to spend a day with the whole family at PNC Field.Additional promotions, including giveaways, special offers and theme nights, will be announced soon. All promotions are subject to change.Please note that May 6 and May 22 are STEM School Day Games with 11:05 A.M. first pitches and these are not Waggin’ Wednesday games at PNC Field. The $2 Hot Dog offer is, however, applicable.Thursday, July 4, is excluded from inclusion in the daily promotional lineup.The RailRiders host the Louisville Bats on Wednesday, July 31 at 1:05 P.M. and the Waggin’ Wednesday and $2 Sahlen’s Hot Dog promotions will be available.Additional terms and quantity restrictions may apply during each daily promotion. For more information, please visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-2255.
New York Yankees Announce 2022 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Field Staff Doug Davis returns as manager with several new additions to SWB dugout The New York Yankees have announced the field staffs for each of their Minor League affiliates and PA-native Doug Davis returns to helm Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Davis will have a nearly-new bench backing him this season with Pitching Coach Graham Johnson, Hitting Coach Trevor Amicone and Defensive Coach Lino Diaz joining the RailRiders field staff. Raul Dominguez returns to the RailRiders for his second season as a Defensive Coach. Jimmy Downam is the team’s new Athletic Trainer, while Strength & Conditioning Coach Larry Adegokeis back for his second season. Brent Drevalas will serve as the Video Manager and Nick Loeffelholz will be the Advance Scouting Analyst. Jim Billington will serve as the RailRiders Home Clubhouse Manager for the second straight season. After three years of coaching in a variety of roles for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Davis was slated to manage the RailRiders in 2020 but officially took the reigns in the dugout last season. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre finished the season with a 75-52 record and in second place in the Northeast Division of Triple-A East. Davis, 59, graduated from Central Columbia High School and played collegiately at NC State University. He was a ninth-round pick by the California Angels in the 1984 First-Year Player Draft and played professionally for 12 years, appearing in 797 games. Davis made his Major League debut in 1988 for the Angels and finished his playing career in 1995. He moved into the coaching ranks the following season and won a New York-Penn League title with Pittsfield in 1997. In 1998, he led Columbia to the South Atlantic League crown. Davis was a bench coach on Jack McKeon’s Florida Marlins staff in 2003, helping lead that club to a World Series win over the Yankees. The Toronto Blue Jays tabbed Davis to lead the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2006 and then elevated him to lead the Syracuse Chiefs in 2007 and 2008. Over nine seasons as a manager, Davis has skippered 1,126 games with a .524 winning percentage (590-536). In addition to his time as a manager or coach, he has also held the positions of Minor League Field Coordinator for the Montreal Expos, the Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays Johnson, 36, joins the Yankees organization as the RailRiders new Pitching Coach after serving in the same role at multiple levels with the Houston Astros organization since 2018. He played at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, MO, before becoming a graduate assistant at Lindenwood University, completing his Master’s of Education with an emphasis in strength and conditioning degree in 2010. After a stint with Western Illinois University, Johnson joined the staff at Morehead State. He was the pitching coach for the Eagles from 2012-17 and also served as an assistant head coach, oversaw field maintenance and the academic development of all student-athletes involved in the baseball program. In 2018, Johnson joined the Astros system as the Pitching Coach for Class-A Quad Cities. He spent 2019 & 2021 as the Pitching Coach for Corpus Christi in Double-A. Amicone, 34, will serve as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Hitting Coach this season. He joined the Yankees organization in 2020 and spent last season with New York’s Dominican Summer League team. The Sandy, Utah, native has served as an assistant coach and camp coordinator for the Dixie State baseball program as well as the head baseball coach at Woods Cross High School in Utah. Amicone has also worked privately with hitters at the professional, college, high school and youth levels. He was the play-by-play voice of the Orem Owlz from 2010-11 and 2013-14. His father, Marc, is the General Manager of the Salt Lake Bees in the Pacific Coast League. Diaz, 51, enters his eighth season with the Yankees organization. He spent 2015-16 as a defensive coach for the GCL Yankees and served in the same role for Trenton in 2017. Diaz managed the Staten Island Yankees to a 37-36 record in 2018 and returned to the GCL in 2019 as their defensive coach. In 2021, he was a defensive coach in the Florida Complex League. Diaz was originally selected by Kansas City in the 30th round of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft and hit .294 over 504 games in the Royals Minor League system spanning five years. Diaz began his coaching career in 1998 with Indianapolis, then a Cincinnati affiliate. He went on to serve a variety of roles for Cleveland, including stints as the Cultural Development Coordinator (2002-04, ‘10-12), Assistant Farm Director (2005-06) and the Director of Latin American Operations (2007-09). Dominguez, 40, spent the 2021 season on Davis’s staff coaching outfielders and baserunning, helping lead the RailRiders to a franchise-record 148 stolen bases. He was with the Trenton Thunder in 2018 and 2019. He initially signed with the Yankees as a non-drafted Minor League free agent in 2001 and played four seasons before moving to the player development side. Dominguez also spent eight years managing teams in the Gulf Coast and Dominican Summer Leagues. 2022 marks his 15th season in the Yankees organization. Downam enters his tenth season with the Yankees as an Athletic Trainer, but his first in Triple-A. He joined the Yankees in 2013 as the trainer for Staten Island and also spent three seasons with Charleston from 2014 through 2016. Downam has been the New York’s trainer for their Double-A club each of the last five seasons. He attended Liberty University, where he received his B.S. in Athletic Training in 2009 and a M.S. in sports administration in 2012. Adegoke joined the Yankees organization on a full-time basis in 2018 and joined Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year. He served as the Yankees performance science assistant in the spring of 2017. Adegoke graduated with a B.S. in exercise science from Kennesaw State University (Ga.), where he also spent time as a strength and conditioning intern for the football team. He earned his M.S. in exercise and nutrition science from the University of Tampa. Three former RailRiders coaches have been promoted to Aaron Boone’s Major League staff this year. Casey Dykes was the RailRiders Hitting Coach in 2021 and is now the Yankees Assistant Hitting Coach. Desi Druschel replaced Pitching Coach Dustin Glant midway through the season when Glant left the organization for an opportunity at Indiana University. Druschel is now the Yankees Assistant Pitching Coach. Former Red Barons infielder Travis Chapman served as the RailRiders Defensive Coach in 2018 and is now the Yankees First Base Coach. Longtime RailRiders trainer Darren London has retired after 33 years in the Yankees organization. He spent the last 29 seasons as the New York’s Triple-A trainer, spanning the club’s final years in Columbus and each year with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since 2007. Please direct all interview requests to Adam Marco, the Director of Communications for the RailRiders. He can be reached at (570) 558-4637 or via email at amarco@swbrailriders.com. The RailRiders open the 2022 season on the road at Syracuse on April 5. Season ticket memberships and single-game tickets are on sale now. Visit www.swbrailriders.com for more information
RailRiders add 13 Employees to Front Office for 2022 Season The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are pleased to announce key additions to their front office staff as the start of the 2022 season approaches. With the first pitch of the new campaign less than 100 days away, the RailRiders have added 13 new employees to the front office roster.“We are excited to grow our staff in several key areas and in ways that positively impact our operation,” stated John Adams, Team President of the RailRiders. “We have had a strong core in place and are excited to add new energy to the front office. These new hires are spread across several departments like ticket sales, corporate partnerships and marketing, and should allow everyone on staff to reach their fullest potential.”Matt Hamilton is the RailRiders new Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. He graduated from West Texas A&M University in 2010 and spent seven years as a news reporter and anchor before a transition to media sales. He joined the Amarillo Sod Poodles in 2018. In three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks Double-A affiliate, Hamilton advanced from serving as a corporate partnerships executive to heading up the department. Under his leadership, the Sod Poodles corporate partnerships grew revenue by over 25% while also retaining 99% of their partners despite the global pandemic.Chris Hutson joined the RailRiders front office in October as the VP of Ticket Sales, Service and Operations. A native New Yorker, he has a wealth of sales and marketing experience at the team, league office, event and venue levels. He was the principal and co-founder of Turnstyles USA, the first-of-its-kind, multi-dimensional sales support agency that served clients across all major sports. Hutson has also worked for the NFL in a variety of roles as well as Spectacor Management Group, the Philadelphia 76ers and Madison Square Garden, where he directed sales for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.Holly Gumble is the new senior staff accountant. She is a graduate of Dallas High School and a 2010 graduate of West Chester University, where she earned her degree in Accounting.Jordan Calvey is the RailRiders new Director of Marketing. She attended Abington Heights High School and is a 2014 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. She built her marketing and sports industry experience through working several Olympic Games with NBC Sports, and at marketing agencies, Inspira and Match Marketing. Calvey most recently spent two years with the U.S. Figure Skating Association in Colorado Springs as the Marketing Manager, where she led ticket sales growth and marketing for their tent pole events, managed organizational campaigns and drove brand awareness locally and nationally.Katherine Arata has joined the staff as the Marketing Manager. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2019 and interned with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers and at the Astros/Nationals Spring Training Complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, after graduation. Arata spent the 2021 season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies as the Director of Marketing and Promotions for the New York Mets Double-A affiliate.Taylor Moy is the new Video Production Manager. A Queens, NYC native, she graduated from the University at Buffalo in 2019 with degrees in media and psychology. Before the start of her career in minor league baseball, she studied abroad in Spain and completed the Disney College Program. Moy spent 2021 with the Rumble Ponies as their video production assistant before becoming a production intern for the New York Giants.Kirsten Peters is the RailRiders Social Media and Special Events Manager. She is a 2021 graduate of Wilkes University with degrees in communication studies, sports management and creative writing. While at Wilkes, Peters was the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The Beacon. She was also the program director of Wilkes’ student-run television show, Wilkes Now! She served as the baseball team’s intern for four seasons, keeping the scorebook, recording stats and acting as the team photographer. She added baseball social media director to her list of responsibilities in 2018.Joshua Klein is a new Corporate Partnerships Manager for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. A native of Montville, NJ, he attended Susquehanna University, where he majored in broadcasting and was a member of the River Hawks Crew Club. After graduating in 2019, Klein worked for the Reading Fightin Phils as their Media Relations Intern/Social Media Coordinator. Following his time with Reading, he moved to Nevada and was the Communications Coordinator for the Reno Aces before the cancelation of the 2020 season.Kate Mummert joins the front office as a Corporate Services Manager. She is a native of Dover, PA, and attended York College of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. Mummert spent the last three years in the Atlantic League working for the York Revolution in retail, ticketing and client services.Anthony D’Andrea and Chris Kunzmann have joined the front office as group sales executives.D’Andrea is a 2021 graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. The Norwalk, CT native completed social media and marketing internships with Adapting Social and Crowdpac, and served as an Athletics Marketing and Promotions intern for Monmouth University in 2021.Kunzmann is a New Jersey native and a 2021 graduate of Penn State. He has previously worked for the Penn State basketball team, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs as a Game Day Intern and the Philadelphia Eagles as a Ticket and Fan Services Intern. Brandon Brzenski is the club’s new Stadium Operations Manager after spending three seasons with the club as an intern. Brzenski attended Kutztown University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management in 2020. He also attended East Stroudsburg University and graduated in 2021 with a master’s degree in Sport Management.In addition to the recent hires, Kyle Davis joined the RailRiders last summer as Account Executive Season Ticket Sales. A NEPA native, Davis was previously a Marketing/Services Intern with the team in 2018. He also interned with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as the Game Day operations Intern and the Washington Wild Things as the Event/Operations Intern. Davis attended Temple University and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Recreation Management.For more information on these personnel moves or the upcoming season, please contact the RailRiders front office at (570) 969-2255 or visit swbrailriders.com.