Vance Wilson Returns to Manage Naturals in 2015
SPRINGDALE, AR - The Kansas City Royals announced that Vance Wilson will be returning to Northwest Arkansas for a second straight year to manage the Naturals during the 2015 season at Arvest Ballpark. Brandon Moore has been named the new hitting coach while Jim Brower will return as the team's pitching coach. Masa Koyanagi will remain the team's Athletic Trainer and Austin Driggers will return to the field staff as the strength coach.
Vance Wilson, a Springdale resident, will guide the Naturals for a second consecutive year. The eight year Major League veteran signed with the Royals and played 59 games with the Naturals in 2009 before retiring in 2010 ending a 15 year professional playing career. He settled in Northwest Arkansas with his wife, Bridget, and their daughter, Peyton Blaise.
In his first managerial appointment, Wilson led the Class-A Kane County Cougars to the second round of the Midwest League playoffs in 2011. Kansas City then promoted Wilson to HiA - Wilmington where the Blue Rocks amassed a 129-151 record. This past off-season, Wilson was tabbed as the Manager of the Peoria Javelinas in the prestigious Arizona Fall League where he guided the prospect-filled club to the Arizona Fall League Championship game. In four managerial seasons in the Kansas City organization, Wilson has managed many recent notable Naturals including RHP Yordano Ventura, OF Brian Fletcher, OF Brett Eibner, 3B Cheslor Cuthbert, RF Jorge Bonifacio, as well as LHP Brandon Finnegan, and OF Lane Adams both of whom were called up to the Major Leagues directly from Northwest Arkansas last September.
Brandon Moore will serve as the hitting coach for the 2015 season. Moore begins his first season in the Royals organization after serving as the hitting coach for the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A Chicago White Sox, during the 2014 season. Moore was originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 17th round of the 1994 amateur draft. He played in the minors for seven years before transitioning to a coaching role in 2001. Moore has primarily served as a hitting coach within the White Sox and Pirates organization over the past fourteen years. Previous coaching stops include Birmingham, Charlotte, State College, Altoona, and Lynchburg.
Jim Brower will return as the pitching coach for his third consecutive season in Northwest Arkansas and fifth season in the Royals Organization. Originally drafted by the Texas Rangers out of the University of Minnesota in the 6th Round of 1994 Amateur Draft, Brower pitched for eight Major League teams in nine seasons, and perhaps most notably led the majors in appearances in 2004 where he went 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA in 93 innings over 89 games.
Masa Koyanagi will begin his fourth season as Athletic Trainer for the Naturals and eighth season with the Royals Organization. Koyanagi graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in kinesiology. He had previously served as Athletic Trainer in the Milwaukee Brewers Organization and led the training staff for WBC Champion Japanese National team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Austin Driggers returns to the Naturals as the Strength Coach for his second season in Northwest Arkansas and third overall in the Royals Organization. The Abilene, Texas-native has also served in the same position for the Burlington Royals in the Rookie Level Appalachian League during the 2013 season. Driggers graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Health Science from Wheaton College in 2012. Upon graduation, he served as Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Men's Baseball team at East Tennessee State University where he is also pursuing a Master's Degree in Exercise and Sport Physiology.
Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Twitter @nwanaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime for all of our up-to-date information on our roster, Spring Training, Caravan news, ticket packages, promotions, and other team-related information.
Season 8 of Naturals baseball begins on Thursday, April 9, 2015 in Midland, Texas. The Naturals will open at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday, April 16 against the same Midland RockHounds, the Double-A Affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
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