Veteran DI coach Greg DiCenzo named Captains manager

(Eastlake, OH) - The Lake County Captains and the Cleveland Indians announced the 2020 Captains field staff today. Greg DiCenzo, a long-time Division I college baseball coach, has been tabbed to manage Lake County. DiCenzo's coaching staff will consist of Pitching Coach Jason Blanton, Hitting Coach Mike Mergenthaler and Bench Coach Vance Law. Patrick Reynolds will serve as the Captains' Athletic Trainer and Paul Synenkyj will be the team's Strength and Conditioning Coordinator.

DiCenzo spent the last 12 seasons as the head baseball coach at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. During his time at the helm, the Crusaders went 137-109 in Patriot League regular season play and DiCenzo was twice named Patriot League Coach of the Year (2008 and 2013). DiCenzo's Holy Cross teams posted 20-win seasons 10 times and won the program's first Patriot League Championship in 2017. Prior to his time at Holy Cross, DiCenzo was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Northeastern University for five seasons. DiCenzo has also served as a coach for the Falmouth Commodores in the Cape Cod Baseball League and at his alma mater, St. Lawrence University.
Blanton returns to the Captains after serving as the pitching coach for the Short-Season Mahoning Valley Scrappers the last two seasons. He was Lake County's pitching coach in 2017. Following an eight-year playing career in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system and the independent leagues, Blanton spent two years as a pitching coach in the Seattle Mariners' organization and one year as the pitching coach for the New Britain Bees of the independent Atlantic League.
Mergenthaler becomes the Captains' Hitting Coach after serving as the Bench Coach for the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats in 2019. The former outfielder was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 32^nd round in 2011 out of the University of Richmond and is entering his fourth season in the Indians' organization. Prior to his bench coach role last year, Mergenthaler spent two seasons as the hitting coach for the Dominican Summer League Indians/Brewers co-op team.
Law, a former big leaguer who played parts of 11 seasons in the major leagues, begins his first season in the Indians' organization and will serve as the Captains' bench coach. Law was an infielder from 1980-91, highlighted by an All-Star season in 1988 with the Cubs. He played for the Pirates (1980-81), White Sox (1982-84), Expos (1985-87), Cubs (1988-89) and A's (1991). After his playing career, Law spent 13 years as the head baseball coach at his alma mater, Brigham Young University (2000-2012) before joining the White Sox's player development staff.
Reynolds returns to the Captains for his second consecutive season as the team's athletic trainer and his third as part of the Indians' athletic training staff. A 2016 graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in Athletic Training, he received his Master's of Science in Sports Management at East Tennessee State University in 2018. Reynolds also has experience as an athletic training intern with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
Synenkyj is back as the Captains' strength and conditioning coach, a role he last held in 2016. The 2020 season will be Synenkyj's 10^th in the Indians' organization after he spent the last three years with the Double-A Akron RubberDucks. Synenkyj holds degrees in physical education from Cleveland State University and the University of Akron.
The Captains' home opener for the 2020 season is on April 13 against the West Michigan Whitecaps. Affordable ticket packages and group outings are available for purchase now and more information may be found at www.CaptainsBaseball.com.