Top Gades: Becker, Smith garner awards as best in SAL

Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Oct. 4, 2022) – Two members of the Hudson Valley Renegades 2022 support staff have been recognized as being the best at their positions in the South Atlantic League. Athletic Trainer Jonathan Becker was honored by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) as the 2022 South Atlantic League Athletic Trainer of the Year. Strength Coach Danny Smith was named the 2022 South Atlantic League Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year by the Professional Baseball Strength & Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS).

“For Jon and Dan to be recognized as the top AT and Strength Coach in the South Atlantic league it is justification for the hard work they put in on a daily basis,” said Renegades Manager Tyson Blaser. “They were and are a big reason for our success as a team and for the individual players’ development. On top of being very good at their profession, they are tremendous human beings and it was an absolute pleasure to work with them throughout the year. They both have very bright futures ahead of them.”

Becker was in his first season with the Renegades in 2022, and his sixth in the Yankees organization. He spent 2021 as the Athletic Trainer for the FCL Yankees, and was with Short-Season A Staten Island from 2017-2020. Prior to his tenure with the Yankees, Becker served as an athletic trainer for HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital and Nashville Community High School, both in Illinois. He graduated from McKendree University in 2013 with a B.S. in Athletic Training and interned in the Puget Sound Collegiate League in 2014.

He is among 15 athletic trainers recognized by PBATS as the best in their leagues (plus one coordinator). Becker joins the rest of that select group as finalists for the prestigious Minor League Athletic Trainer of the Year award, which will voted on by the full membership of PBATS at the 2022 Baseball Winter Meetings in San Diego, California.

“Doing everything I can to keep my guys on the field and help them pursue their dream of making it to the big leagues is what keeps me coming to work every day,” said Becker. “We put in a ton of hours with our teams and to have your hard work be recognized by your peers who are grinding it out every day as well is definitely an honor.”

Smith completed his second season as the Renegades strength coach in 2022, and his sixth overall with the Yankees organization. He was also named the South Atlantic League Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year by the PBSCCS in 2021 with the Renegades.

Previous to his work with Hudson Valley in 2021, Smith spent three seasons (2018-2020) with Staten Island and one (2017) with Rookie-level Pulaski. Before joining the Yankees, Smith was the Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach for both Western Kentucky University in 2016-17 and the University of South Florida in 2015-16. 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.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by my peers with this award, especially with how stacked the South Atlantic league is with extremely talented and knowledgeable men and women Strength & Conditioning coaches,” Smith said. “Without these coaches’ support, I know there would have been quality work left on the table for our players this season. This support has only increased each year I’ve been in professional baseball and I believe is a great direction for the field and the professionals within it.”

ABOUT THE HUDSON VALLEY RENEGADES

The Hudson Valley Renegades are the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees in the South Atlantic League. The Renegades begin their 2023 season at home on Friday, April 7 with a three-game homestand against the Greensboro Grasshoppers. For more information, please visit hvrenegades.com or call 845-838-0094.

ABOUT DIAMOND BASEBALL HOLDINGS

Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH) was formed in 2021 to support, promote and enhance Minor League Baseball Clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment (DiamondBaseballHoldings.com).