Joe Kruzel will be back as manager of the State College Spikes, the St. Louis Cardinals announced this week.
Roger LaFrancois will return as hitting coach with new pitching coach Adrian Martin, and new strength and conditioning coach Don Trapp joining the staff.
‘We are thrilled that Joe and Roger will be back with us in 2018,’ Spikes General Manager Scott Walker said in a release. ‘Both of them have endeared themselves to Spikes fans, and along with the additions of Adrian and Don, we can’t wait to see what they have planned for this summer.’
Kruzel led the Spikes to their fifth consecutive 40-win season and managed the South team in the 2017 New York-Penn League All-Star Game. He is in his sixth season overall as a manager, having previously guided the Single-A Peoria Chiefs and Rookie-level Johnson City Chiefs.
LaFrancois is entering his fourth season with the Spikes. For the past two seasons, State College has led the NYPL in runs scored and in 2017 the Spikes’ Evan Mendoza was league batting champion with a .324 average.
Martin will make his debut as a pitching coach in 2018 after working as a coach for the AAA Memphis Redbirds last season. He had 56-31 career record with a 3.46 ERA over 12 professional seasons, primarily with the Blue Jays and Giants organizations.
Darwin Marrero, who was Spikes’ pitching coach for the past three seasons, was promoted to pitching coach for the AA Springfield Cardinals.
Trapp will begin his first season as a strength and conditioning coach in the Cardinals’ organization.
The Spikes’ home opener is June 16, and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park will host the 2018 NYPL All-Star Game on Aug. 14
