KNOXVILLE SMOKIES ANNOUNCE 2026 COACHING STAFF

KNOXVILLE, TN - In conjunction with the Chicago Cubs, the Knoxville Smokies have announced the team’s field staff for the 2026 season.

Lance Rymel enters his third season as manager of the Knoxville Smokies following two seasons at the helm in South Bend. He guided the 2025 Smokies to a 69-67 record. This will be his 11th season as a coach or manager in the Cubs organization, where he also managed Single-A Eugene in 2019 and the Cubs Dominican Summer League squad in 2017-18. He began his coaching career in 2016 following a three-year minor league playing career as a catcher in the Cubs organization from 2012-14. Rymel was selected by the Cubs in the 28th round of the 2012 draft out of Rogers State in Claremore, Okla.

Rymel’s staff comprises former MLB player Joe Dillon as hitting coach, newcomers George Thanopoulos and Jose Zapata as pitching coaches, the return of Derron Davis as bench coach, Joe Curci as player development coach, and Nick Roberts and Allen Cooper as head athletic trainer and sport performance coach respectively.

Tickets will be available at the Covenant Health Park box office for the 2026 home opener on Friday, April 3, beginning a three-game series against the Birmingham Barons.

Once available, tickets may be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, at the Covenant Health Park box office, and by calling the Smokies ticket office at (865) 286-2300.

ABOUT THE KNOXVILLE SMOKIES

The Knoxville Smokies are the Double-A Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the eight-team Southern League, Smokies baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America’s national pastime in the East Tennessee region for over 100 years. To learn more about the Knoxville Smokies, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com.