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Parrott Named IL Sports Turf Manager of the Year

Charlotte’s Director of Field Operations Earns International League Award as Voted on by MLB, League Managers & Coaches
This is the fourth award for Parrott during his time with the Knights.
December 6, 2022

(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- The Charlotte Knights are pleased to announce that Matt Parrott -- the team’s Director of Field Operations -- has been named the 2022 International League Sports Turf Manager of the Year. The award was selected by Major League Baseball, in conjunction with International League field managers

(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- The Charlotte Knights are pleased to announce that Matt Parrott -- the team’s Director of Field Operations -- has been named the 2022 International League Sports Turf Manager of the Year. The award was selected by Major League Baseball, in conjunction with International League field managers and umpires. This is the fourth award for Parrott as a member of the Knights since joining the team’s front office in 2016.

“I’m very honored to receive this award,” stated Parrott. “This award is a true testament to the work that my entire grounds crew put in this season -- especially Nick Verzal (Knights Manager of Field Operations) and Julian Brown (Assistant Field Manager). I’d also like to thank Don Beaver (Knights Owner), Dan Rajkowski (Knights COO), Rob Egan (Knights GM), our field staff, and the entire Charlotte Knights’ organization for all of the support we received throughout the year.”

In addition to receiving this year’s award, Parrott has also earned the International League’s top sports turf honor in 2017, 2018 & 2019. In each of those seasons, he also earned the Triple-A Sports Turf Manager of the Year awards at Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, FL (2017), Las Vegas, NV (2018) and San Diego, CA (2019). The league did not select winners in 2020 and 2021.

A native of Boone, NC, Parrott recently completed his seventh year with the Knights. Before joining the team, he spent 13 seasons with the Bowie Baysox of the Eastern League (Double-A). During his time in Bowie, MD, he earned the Eastern League Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year Award three times (2011 and 2014-15). In 2011, he was also named as the STMA (Sports Turf Managers Association) Double-A Sports Turf Manager of the Year. He received his BSBA undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University and an AAS Turfgrass Management degree from North Carolina State University.