Hillcats Announce 2024 Coaching Staff

The Lynchburg Hillcats in conjunction with the Cleveland Guardians are pleased to announce their coaching staff for the 2024 season.

For the second straight season, Jordan Smith will serve as the manager for the ballclub with Tony Arnold returning as pitching coach. Cole Nieto will step in as the hitting coach and Erlin Cerda will be the bench coach. Rounding out the coaching staff are Yuka Ogata as the athletic trainer and Jack Baldwin as the strength and conditioning coach.

Smith served at the helm during the 2023 season, his first as a full-season manager. He led the team to a 67-63 record, while also finishing the second half of the season six games above .500.

“We are excited to welcome Jordan Smith and his family back to Lynchburg for a second season with the Hillcats,” General Manager Matt Ramstead said. “The Smith’s have been a great representation of what the organization stands for. Jordan has done an excellent job of connecting with the players and our fans alike.”

“We look forward to having Jordan, his wife Ashley, and their two kids back in the ballpark this Spring.”

Smith’s coaching experience extends from the conclusion of his playing career, of which he spent its entirety in the Cleveland Indians organization. He began coaching in 2019 as the bench coach of the Lake County Captains and would return to that role in 2021.

For the second straight season and fifth time in his career, Tony Arnold will serve as the pitching coach with the Lynchburg Hillcats. This will also be the third straight season that Arnold has worked alongside Smith. Arnold, a former professional with the Baltimore Orioles organization has been coaching in minor league baseball since 1990.

Arnold spent the entirety of his playing career with the Orioles, making the majors in both 1986 and 1987. He would post an ERA of 5.08 in his 38 appearances.

Cole Nieto is a Cleveland-native who spent his collegiate career at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. He was a pure hitter in college, posting a .312 AVG and a SLG of over .900 in his two seasons with the Yellow Jackets. Following his playing career, Nieto would go on to serve as an assistant coach at the University of Dubuque in Iowa.

Nieto spent last season as the hitting coach with the Guardians Dominican Summer League Blue Squad. This will be his first year of full-season Minor League Baseball.

Erlin Cerda returns to Lynchburg as the bench coach after spending a portion of his playing career in the Hill City. Cerda, a native of the Dominican Republic, played a total of 32 games with the Hillcats during the 2018 season. He spent a total of six seasons in the Guardians organization as a player, totaling an average of .252 with an impressive 12 triples.

Cerda spent last season as the bench coach with the Guardians Arizona Complex League affiliate alongside former Lynchburg hitting coach, Craig Massoni.

Also new to the staff this year is Yuka Ogata, who will function as the teams athletic trainer. Last season, they spent time with the Lake County Captains as their athletic trainer.

Ogata graduated from Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan in 2018 before completing their master’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Arkansas.

Rounding out the coaching staff is Jack Baldwin, who will serve as the strength and conditioning coach. This will be Baldwin’s first season with the Guardians organization.

The 2024 season is set to begin on April 5th with a trip to North Carolina to take on the Down East Wood Ducks. The Hillcats home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9th against the Fredericksburg Nationals. Tickets are available at Lynchburg-hillcats.com.