Tortugas announce 2021 coaching staff

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Cincinnati Reds and Daytona Tortugas announced the Tortugas 2021 coaching staff, headlined by former Major Leaguer and Olympic gold medalist Travis “Gookie” Dawkins.

TRAVIS “GOOKIE” DAWKINS – Manager

Gookie Dawkins is in his seventh season in the organization, his first as manager of the Daytona Tortugas. He was slated to manage Class A Dayton last year before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. Dawkins spent the 2019 and 2018 seasons as manager at Rookie Greeneville, piloting the team in its first 2 seasons of existence. In 2017, he was manager Pat Kelly’s hitting coach at Class AA Pensacola. Following the 2017 regular season, Gookie performed hitting coach duties in the prestigious Arizona Fall League for Scottsdale. Prior to 2017, he worked as hitting coach for Class A Daytona (2016) and the AZL Reds (2015). Following a 15-year professional playing career, Dawkins in 2015 returned to the organization that selected him in the second round of the June 1997 draft. He spent time playing in the minor league systems of the Reds, Dodgers, Royals, Cubs, Tigers, Pirates, Mariners, Phillies, White Sox and Marlins. He also played in parts of 4 Major League seasons with Cincinnati (1999, 2000, 2002) and Kansas City (2003). He won a gold medal while playing for Team USA in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a tournament capped by a 4-0 upset of perennial champion Cuba. Travis, 41, resides in Spartanburg, SC.

FORREST HERRMANN - Pitching Coach

Forrest Herrmann is in his second season in the organization, his first at Class A Daytona. Last year, he was slated to serve as the pitching coach at Rookie Billings before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the minor league season. With the 2020 season canceled, Forrest trained Reds pitchers remotely and individually in his home city of St. Louis. He also assisted with scouting reports and managed a collegiate summer league team. Forrest was the pitching strategist with the Mariners during the 2019 campaign. Prior to joining Seattle, he spent 3 years at Premier Pitching Performance in St. Louis, MO, and rose to Director of Pitching Development in 2018. In January 2020 he completed Driveline Baseball Coaches Certification: Foundations of Pitching. Herrmann played baseball at University of Evansville.

DARRYL BRINKLEY - Hitting Coach

Darryl Brinkley is in his sixth season in the organization, his first at Class A Daytona. Before the COVID-19 pandemic annulled the 2020 minor league season, Darryl was scheduled to serve as Class A Dayton's hitting coach. He spent the 2019 season as the hitting coach at Rookie Billings and filled that same role in 2018 at Rookie Greeneville. In 2017, he served as bench coach at Class AAA Louisville. Brinkley joined the Reds’ player development system in 2016 as hitting coach for the Dominican Summer League team following a stint as hitting coach for the Dodgers’ Pioneer League affiliate Ogden Raptors. He began his coaching career in 2010 as the manager of the Yuma Scorpions of the Golden Baseball League and also has served as a hitting coach for 4 years in the Mexican League and for 5 seasons in the Mexican Winter League. Darryl signed with the Padres in 1995 after graduating from Sacred Heart University. He played 16 seasons professionally, including 6 minor league seasons with the Padres, Pirates and Orioles and 9 seasons in the independent leagues, where he was named by Baseball America the Independent League Player of the Year in 2007 after becoming the first player to ever bat .400 in the Northern League. As a player, he spent 5 seasons in the Mexican Winter League playing for Cualiacan, Mazatlan, Mexicali and Los Mochis and in 2018 was inducted into the Caribbean Series Hall of Fame. Darryl resides in Norwalk, CT with wife Gail and son Darryl Jr.

DICK SCHOFIELD - Development Coach

Dick Schofield is in his ninth season in the organization. Along with Reggie Williams, Schofield will work this year as a development coach for Class A Daytona; a position new to the Reds system in 2021. Dick was expected to manage the Tortugas in 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. He spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons with Class AAA Louisville, serving as bench coach in 2019. In 2018, he began the season as the Bats' bench coach but took over as Louisville's manager after Pat Kelly was promoted to the Major League staff on April 19. Schofield served as Class AA Pensacola’s bench coach in 2017 and hitting coach in 2013. In 2016 for the Class A Dayton Dragons, Dick served as manager, a position he also held at Rookie Billings from 2014-2015. Before joining the Reds, Schofield worked in the Angels’ minor league system as a hitting coach for their rookie league AZL team (2007-2010) and Class A Inland Empire (2011). He was the Halos' roving infield coordinator in 2012. The former shortstop played 14 Major League seasons with the Angels, Mets, Blue Jays and Dodgers and led the American League in fielding percentage 4 times. Schofield played on the Angels’ 1986 Western Division championship club, hitting an even .300 in that year’s ALCS against the Red Sox, and was a member of Toronto’s 1993 World Series championship team. In Game 3 of that ‘86 ALCS, he belted a home run off Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd. A native of Springfield, IL, Schofield was selected by the Angels in the first round (third overall) of the 1981 draft. He resides in Camdenton, MO and has 4 children.

REGGIE WILLIAMS - Development Coach

Reggie Williams is in his fourth year in the organization. Along with Dick Schofield, Williams will work this year as a development coach for Class A Daytona; a position new to the Reds system in 2021. Before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season, Williams was scheduled to work his third season as the bench coach at Rookie Greeneville. He joined the Reds organization in 2018 after working in the Brewers' system from 2009-2016, first as baserunning and outfield coordinator and then as a coach for Class A Brevard County and Rookie Helena. Prior to his time with the Brewers, Reggie spent 13 seasons as the vice president of community relations with the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds (1997-2009). While with the Redbirds, he also worked as a radio/TV broadcaster. From 1991-1997, Reggie was a teacher and a principal in the Memphis City School District. Each off-season, he serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis. Selected by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 1982 draft, Williams spent 4 seasons in the Major Leagues with Los Angeles (1985-87) and Cleveland (1988). He was the Dodgers' Rookie of the Year in 1986 and amassed a .259 batting average in 200 Major League games. Reggie continued his playing career in the minor leagues with the Pirates in 1989 and the Rangers in 1990. He received his master’s degree in teaching from the University of Memphis in 1994 and 3 years later earned a second master’s degree in school supervision and administration. As an undergraduate at Southern University in 1982, he earned the Presidential Scholarship Award for the highest grade point average in the athletic department (3.45).

WADE HEBRINK - Athletic Trainer, M.S., ATC, CES

Wade Hebrink is in his fifth season in the organization, his first at Class A Daytona. He was slated to work at Rookie Greeneville in 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. In 2019, Wade was the athletic trainer for the Rookie AZL Reds and spent the previous 2 years working for the Dominican Summer League Reds. Wade has also been the athletic trainer for the Indios de Mayaguez of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rican Winter League) for the past 2 winter league seasons. The Lake Mills, IA native earned his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Northern Iowa in 2014 and master’s degree in Exercise Science from Syracuse University in May 2016. Hebrink holds certifications in CPR/AED, SASTM, Dry Needling, Blood Flow Restriction rehabilitation and Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).

KYLE LAUGHLIN - Strength & Conditioning Coach, CSCS, RSCC

Kyle Laughlin is in his fourth season of professional baseball, his second in the organization. Kyle was slated to work at Rookie Billings in 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. In 2019, Laughlin served as a strength and conditioning coach for the Rangers' Dominican Summer League affiliate. In 2018, he held internships with both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Indiana University in 2017. Kyle resides in Indianapolis, IN.

The new coaching staff is set to make their 2021 season debut on Tuesday, May 4 on the road at the Palm Beach Cardinals (STL). The Tortugas’ home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11, at Jackie Robinson Ballpark against the St. Lucie Mets (NYM).

Game times for all games will be announced at a later date as will the Tortugas schedule of promotions. To receive updates, visit bit.ly/TugasTix, follow the Tortugas on social media, or call 386-257-3172.

ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS

The Daytona Tortugas are a proud affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach, Fla. Jackie Robinson Ballpark also plays host to Bethune-Cookman University and many large community events and initiatives throughout the year.