Three-Time PCL Manager of the Year Fran Riordan Returns to the Aviators® for 2026 Campaign; Season Opener on Friday, March 27 vs. Salt Lake at Las Vegas Ballpark®
(Las Vegas, NV) – February 6, 2026 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics and 2025 PCL Champions, announced today, in conjunction with the A’s Communications Department, that Fran Riordan will return for his ninth season as manager for
Welcome back boys. Let’s do it again pic.twitter.com/HN8AAw8i6o
— Las Vegas Aviators (@AviatorsLV) February 6, 2026
(Las Vegas, NV) – February 6, 2026 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics and 2025 PCL Champions, announced today, in conjunction with the A’s Communications Department, that Fran Riordan will return for his ninth season as manager for the A’s Triple-A affiliate for the 2026 campaign and his eighth season (including 2020) with the Aviators. Riordan is the 25th manager in the history of the Las Vegas franchise (1983 – 2019, 2021-25; 42 seasons). Riordan served as manager for the A’s Triple-A affiliate in Nashville during the 2018 campaign. He is a three-time Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year (2019 & 2023 & 2025).
The Aviators coaching staff will all return from the 2025 season. Paul Abbott and Don Schulze as pitching coach; Brian McArn as hitting coach and Kevin Kouzmanoff as assistant hitting coach. Eric Fasth was named head athletic trainer; Jake Routhier returns as athletic trainer and Steven Thayer returns as sport performance coach.
Riordan (pronounced REAR-den), 50, has compiled 25 seasons overall in professional baseball and has been a member of the Athletics organization for the past 11 seasons (2015-25).
He has compiled an overall managerial record over 24 seasons of 1,392-1,338 (.510). He ranks eighth among active leaders in minor league managerial wins (entering the 2026 season).
Triple-A Las Vegas: He has a six-year record of 451-413 (.522) and is Las Vegas’ all-time leader in managerial wins.
“I’m really excited to start another season of Aviators baseball,” Fran Riordan said. “Our expectations are once again really high this season and the 2025 campaign was a memorable one for our passionate and deserving fans of Las Vegas in celebrating the PCL championship!”
In 2025, he was named PCL Manager of the Year for the third time in six seasons and guided Las Vegas to its third PCL championship in franchise history (1986, 1988, 2025). The Aviators defeated Tacoma, 2-games-to-0, in the LCS. Las Vegas, 83-67 (.553) overall in the regular season, then lost to Triple-A Jacksonville, 8-7, in the Triple-A National Championship Game at Las Vegas Ballpark.
In 2024, the Aviators compiled an overall record of 74-75 (.497) and finished in fourth place in the Pacific Coast League West Division.
In 2023, he was named PCL Manager of the Year for the second time in four seasons and led Triple-A Las Vegas to an overall record of 75-74 (.503) and finished in third place in the PCL West Division.
In 2022, the Aviators compiled an overall record of 71-79 (.473) and finished in third place in the PCL West Division. In 2021, he guided the Aviators to an overall record of 65-61 (.516) in Triple-A West (Western Division) and finished in third place. In 2020, with the Minor League Baseball season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Riordan worked with the Athletics' 60-man player pool at the team's alternate training site located in San Jose, California.
In 2019, he was named Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year and led Triple-A Las Vegas to the second-best record in the 16-team PCL (83-57, .593) and the Aviators captured the Pacific Southern Division Championship. Las Vegas returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and lost to Sacramento, 3-games-to-2, in the conference championship series. The 83-57 record marked a single-season franchise record for winning percentage at .593 (140-game season).
In 2018, he made his Triple-A debut as manager with the Nashville Sounds and compiled an overall record of 72-68 (.514) and finished in second place in the American Southern Division to the PCL and Triple-A National Champion, the Memphis Redbirds. Nashville compiled a PCL-best 15-game winning streak from July 29 – August 14.
In 2017, he compiled a record of 67-71 (.486) with Double-A Midland and his squad captured the Texas League Championship. The prior two seasons, he was the skipper of Single-A Beloit of the Midwest League.
Before joining the Athletics organization, Riordan spent four seasons as manager of the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League (2011-14). He led the team to two playoff berths and is the all-time Frontier League leader in wins with 625. He was a 2014 Frontier League Hall of Fame inductee. Prior to his time with Florence, he managed the Northern League’s Lake County Fielders (2010) and Kalamazoo Kings for six seasons (2004-09), leading the Kings to the 2005 Frontier League title. He also served as player-manager in the Frontier League from 2000-02, leading the Richmond Roosters to back-to-back-league championships in 2001 and 2002.
The Virginia Beach native played seven seasons of professional baseball as a first baseman/outfielder (1997-2003) after playing college baseball at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania.
FRAN RIORDAN’S MANAGERIAL RECORD
YEAR, CLUB, LEAGUE, W-L, PCT., FINISH
2000: Dubois County, Frontier (Ind.), 35-47,.427, 5th
2001: Richmond, Frontier (Ind.), 49-35,.583, 2nd – League Champions
2002: Richmond, Frontier (Ind.), 53-31,.631, 2nd – League Champions
2004: Kalamazoo, Frontier (Ind.), 51-45, .531, 3rd
2005: Kalamazoo, Frontier (Ind.), 53-43, .552, 1st – League Champions
2006: Kalamazoo, Frontier (Ind.), 47-49, .490, 4th
2007: Kalamazoo, Frontier (Ind.), 51-45, .531, 3rd
2008: Kalamazoo, Frontier (Ind.), 60-36, .625, 1st – Lost League Finals
2009: Kalamazoo, Frontier (Ind.), 58-38, .604, 1st – Lost League Semifinals
2010: Lake County, Northern (Ind.), 41-59, .410, 7th
2011: Florence, Frontier (Ind.), 39-57, .406, 6th
2012: Florence, Frontier (Ind.), 57-39, .594, 2nd – Lost League Finals
2013: Florence, Frontier (Ind.), 53-43, .552, 3rd – Lost League Semifinals
2014: Florence, Frontier (Ind.), 41-55, .427, 5th
2015: Beloit, Midwest (A), 55-84, .396, 7th/5th
2016: Beloit, Midwest (A),59-80, .424, 6th/8th
2017: Midland, Texas (AA), 67-71, .486, 2nd/3rd - League Champions
2018: Nashville (AAA), Pacific Coast, 72-68, .514, 2nd
2019: Las Vegas (AAA), Pacific Coast, 83-57, .593, 1st – Lost League Semifinals
2020: Minor League Baseball season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021: Las Vegas (AAA), Triple-A West, 65-61, .519, 3rd
2022: Las Vegas (AAA), Pacific Coast, 71-79, .473, 3rd
2023: Las Vegas (AAA), Pacific Coast, 75-74, .503, 3rd
2024: Las Vegas (AAA), Pacific Coast, 74-75, .497, 4th
2025: Las Vegas (AAA), Pacific Coast, 83-67, .553, 2nd - League Champions
TOTALS Managerial Record (24 years): 1,392-1,338 .510
Las Vegas Franchise All-Time Managers List (1983-2019, 2021-25):
1983, Harry Dunlop (83-60, .580)
1984-85, Bob Cluck (136-144, .486)
1986, Larry Bowa (80-62, .563, PCL Champions)
1987, Jack Krol (69-73, .486)
1988-89, Steve Smith (148-135, .523, ’88 PCL Champions)
1990, Pat Kelly (58-86, .403)
1991-92, Jim Riggleman (139-145, .489)
1993-94, Russ Nixon (114-172, .399)
1995, Tim Flannery (61-83, .424)
1996-98, 2005-06, Jerry Royster (323-387, .455)
1999, Mike Ramsey (67-75, .472)
2000, Duane Espy (30-20, .600)
2000, Tony Franklin (43-50, .462)
2001, Rick Sofield (68-76, .472)
2002, Brad Mills (85-59, .590, PCL Manager of the Year)
2003, John Shoemaker (76-66, .535)
2004, Terry Kennedy (67-76, .469)
2007-08, Lorenzo Bundy (141-146, .491)
2009, Mike Basso (71-73, .493)
2010, Dan Rohn (66-78, .458)
2011-12, Marty Brown (150-137, .523)
2013-16, Wally Backman (309-267, .536) – 2014 PCL Manager of the Year
2017, Pedro Lopez (56-86, .394)
2018, Tony DeFrancesco (71-69, .507)
2019, Fran Riordan (83-57, .593, PCL Manager of the Year)
2020, Minor League Baseball season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021, Fran Riordan (65-61, .516)
2022, Fran Riordan (71-79, .473)
2023, Fran Riordan (75-74, .503, PCL Manager of the Year)
2024, Fran Riordan (74-75, .497)
2025, Fran Riordan (83-67, .553, PCL Manager of the Year); (LV career manager record: 451-413, .522, L.V. all-time leader in wins)
Las Vegas Triple-A Affiliation History:
San Diego Padres, 18 seasons (1983-2000), 1,227-1,329 (.480), 7 playoff appearances (1983, 84, 86, 87, 88, 1992, 96)
Los Angeles Dodgers, 8 seasons (2001-08), 561-586 (.489), 1 playoff appearance (2002)
Toronto Blue Jays, 4 seasons (2009-2012), 287-288 (.499), 0 playoff appearances
New York Mets, 6 seasons (2013-18), 436-422 (.508), 2 playoff appearances (2013 & 2014)
Athletics, 6 seasons (2019, 2021 - present), 451-413 (.522), 2 playoff appearances (2019, 2025)
ALL-TIME RECORD: 2,962-3,038 (.494)
The Las Vegas Stars/51s/Aviators captured the PCL Championship three times (1986 & 1988 & 2025) and appeared in the playoffs 12 times (23-33 record, .411).
Paul Abbott enters his third season overall in the Athletics organization and returns for his second season with Triple-A Las Vegas as pitching coach.
Abbott has 16 years of coaching experience between the Boston and Athletics organizations. He coached at several levels in the Red Sox organization. He was the pitching coach for three seasons for Triple-A Worcester of the International League (2021-23). Prior to that, he coached with the Short-Season Lowell Spinners for two seasons (2011-12), Single-A Greenville Drive for two seasons (2013-14), High-A Salem Red Sox for three seasons (2015-17), Double-A Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League for two season (2018-19), and Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League in 2020. In 2024, he joined the Athletics organization and served as pitching coach with Double-A Midland of the Texas League.
Abbott was originally selected by Minnesota in the third round of June 1985 First Year Player Draft. He played in parts of 11 Major League seasons with Minnesota (1990-92), Cleveland (1993), Seattle (1998-2002), Kansas City (2003), Tampa Bay (2004) and Philadelphia (2004). He appeared in 162 career Major League games (started 112) and posted a 43-37 record with a 4.92 ERA. He allowed 682 hits and struck out 496 batters in 720.2 innings pitched. He was a member of the 1996 Triple-A Las Vegas Stars (San Diego Padres) of the PCL. He appeared in 28 games and posted a 4-2 record with seven saves and a 4.18 ERA. He allowed 27 hits and struck out 37 batters in 28.0 innings pitched.
Don Schulze enters his 21st season overall in the Athletics organization and returns for his second season with Triple-A Las Vegas as pitching coach (served as assistant pitching coach in 2025).
Schulze has 20 years of coaching experience that began with the A’s rookie-level affiliate in 2006. Since then, he has served as the pitching coach with Single-A Kane County of the Midwest League for two seasons (2007-08), Single-A Stockton of the California League for two seasons (2009-10), Double-A Midland of the Texas League for five seasons (2011-14, 2017), Triple-A Nashville of the Pacific Coast League (2015), Single-A Beloit of the Midwest League for four seasons (2016, 2018-20) and Single-A Lansing of the Midwest League for four seasons (2021-24).
Schulze was originally selected by Chicago Cubs in the first round (11th overall pick) of the 1980 draft. He played in parts of six Major League seasons with Chicago Cubs (1983-84), Cleveland (194-86), New York Mets (1987), New York Yankees (1989) and San Diego (1989). He appeared in 76 career Major League games (started 59) and posted a 15-25 record with a 5.47 ERA. He allowed 422 hits and struck out 144 batters in 338.2 innings pitched. He also pitched three seasons for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan and concluded his playing career with Triple-A Rochester (Baltimore) in 1993.
Brian McArn returns to Triple-A Las Vegas for his sixth season. He will serve as hitting coach for his fifth season with the Aviators and was the assistant hitting coach in 2021. In 2025, he completed his 27th season overall in the Athletics organization and the Aviators led the PCL in batting average (.288).
His minor league coaching career includes: three stints as hitting coach for Single-A Stockton of the California League for a total of seven seasons (2011-12, 2014-15, 2018-20), Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League for five seasons (2021-25), Double-A Midland of the Texas League hitting coach for four seasons (2004, 2013, 2016-17), Triple-A Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League for six seasons (2005-10), the A's former Single-A affiliate in Modesto of the California League where he served as hitting coach for six seasons (1998-2003).
Prior to joining the A’s organization, he spent one season as the hitting coach for Single-A Vermont of the New York-Penn League. He has been a minor league coach for a total of 29 seasons (including 2020) and began his coaching career at American River Junior College in Sacramento, where he served as assistant coach.
McArn was selected by the Athletics in the 26th round of June 1991 First-Year Player Draft. He spent two seasons in the A’s organization before injuries ended his career in 1992.
Kevin Kouzmanoff enters his eighth season overall in the Athletics organization and returns for his second season with Triple-A Las Vegas as assistant hitting coach.
His professional coaching experience includes: coaching debut as hitting coach with Short-Season, Single-A Vermont of the New-York Penn League in 2019, Double-A Midland of the Texas League in 2021, Single-A Stockton of the California League for two seasons (2022-23) and Single-A (High-A) Lansing of the Midwest League in 2024.
He joined the A’s organization after spending the 2018 season as an assistant coach with Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Kouzmanoff was selected by Cleveland in the sixth round of June 2003 First-Year Player Draft. He played in parts of seven Major League seasons with Cleveland (2006), San Diego (2007-09), Athletics (2010-11), Colorado (2011) and Texas (2014). He appeared in 685 career games and batted .257 (650-2,525) with 143 doubles, eight triples, 87 home runs and 371 RBI. He established career highs in home runs (23 in 2008) and RBI (88 in 2009).
Eric Fasth enters his sixth season overall in the Athletics organization. He served the last two seasons as head athletic trainer with Double-A Midland of the Texas League (2024-25). Prior to joining Midland, he previously served as head athletic trainer with High-A Lansing of the Midwest League (2023) and Low-A Stockton of the California League (2022). He returns to Triple-A Las Vegas for his second season and previously served as assistant athletic trainer for the Aviators in 2021.
In 2024, Fasth was selected by his peers as the Texas League Athletic Trainer of the Year.
Prior to joining the Athletics, he worked with the women’s ice hockey and rowing teams as assistant athletic trainer at College of the Holy Cross from 2019-21, following stints with the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations.
He is a graduate of Linfield College (Oregon) and has a master’s degree from California University of Pennsylvania.
Jake Routhier enters his seventh season overall in the Athletics organization and returns for his third season with Triple-A Las Vegas as athletic trainer. Before joining Las Vegas, he served as head athletic trainer with Double-A Midland of the Texas League in 2023. He also served as head athletic trainer with Single-A Lansing of the Midwest League in 2022, Single-A Stockton of the California League in 2021 and in the Dominican Summer League in 2019.
Prior to joining the A’s, Routhier worked as an intern for the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.
Steven Thayer enters his fifth season overall in the Athletics organization and returns for his third season with Triple-A Las Vegas as sport performance coach. He spent the 2023 campaign as sport performance coach with Single-A Lansing of the Midwest League. Prior to joining Lansing, he served as sport performance coach with Single-A Stockton of the California League in 2022.
Prior to joining the Athletics organization, he served as sports performance coach in the Dominican Summer League for the San Francisco Giants in 2021. Before his time in professional baseball, he oversaw strength and conditioning programs for multiple varsity sports at Mater Dei High School. Additionally, he spent time as an assistant strength coach for the Michigan State basketball and volleyball teams and as an intern with Cal football.
He is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and has a master’s degree in kinesiology from Michigan State University. He holds nine certifications in the strength and conditioning field.
The Aviators will open their 43rd season (1983-2025) in the Silver State against the Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, on Friday, March 27 at Las Vegas Ballpark®.
2026 Las Vegas Aviators season ticket information and group hospitality packages are available by calling the Aviators administrative offices at (702) 943-7200 or emailing [email protected].
Official licensed Aviators team merchandise is available on the “Team Shop” section of the website at www.aviatorslv.com.
About Las Vegas Aviators®
The Las Vegas Aviators® have the proud distinction of being Nevada’s longest enduring professional sports franchise.
The 2025 campaign marked the 43rd calendar season in the Silver State as a proud member of Triple-A professional baseball of the Pacific Coast League and the sixth season in Las Vegas Ballpark (8,196).
The Aviators are the 2025 Pacific Coast League Champions!
The Aviators led all minor league baseball in 2019 attendance with a total of 650,934 for an average of 9,299. Las Vegas recorded 47 sellouts and 23 crowds of 10,000+.
In 2021, Las Vegas led Triple-A West in home attendance with a total of 428,369 for an average of 6,590.
The Aviators were the recipient of the 2021 Baseball America Triple-A Freitas Award, given to the organization of the year at each level of the Minor Leagues.
In 2022, Las Vegas led the PCL in home attendance with a total of 518,221 for an average of 6,910. It marked the second-highest attendance total for a single season in franchise history.
In 2023, Las Vegas recorded back-to-back seasons with 500,000+ home attendance (506,047 for an average of 6,838).
In 2024, Las Vegas home attendance was 481,802 in 74 dates for an average of 6,511 with 12 sellouts.
In 2025, Las Vegas home attendance was 491,889 in 75 dates for an average of 6,559 with 11 sellouts.
The Stars (1983-2000)/51s (2001-18)/Aviators (2019 - present) have reached 300,000+ in “home” attendance in all 42 seasons (36 seasons at Cashman Field, 1983-2018; Las Vegas Ballpark, 2019, 2021-25). The Aviators completed their sixth season, in 2025, as the Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics and the franchise won the PCL championship in 1986, 1988, 2025. In six seasons at Las Vegas Ballpark (2019, 2021-25), the Aviators have recorded 104 sellouts.
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Contact:
Jim Gemma
Media Relations Director
Las Vegas Aviators, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics
(702) 493-4510