Rodriguez signs on to manage State College

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Veteran Minor League manager and instructor Johnny Rodriguez will lead the defending New York-Penn League Champion State College Spikes' coaching staff for the 2015 season, the St. Louis Cardinals announced this week. The 57-year old Rodriguez will be joined on the bench by hitting coach Roger LaFrancois (pronounced La-Fran-swah) and pitching coach Darwin Marrero.

Oliver Marmol, who managed the Spikes the past two seasons, has been promoted two levels in the Cardinals' Player Development System and will manage the Class A Advanced Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League in 2015. During his two seasons as Spikes' bench boss, the 28-year-old Marmol guided the team to a .636 regular season winning percentage (96-55), back-to-back NYPL Championship Series appearances, and the franchise's first-ever league title in 2014.

Pitching coach Dernier Orozco and hitting coach Ramon "Smokey" Ortiz have also been promoted within the Cardinals' system for the 2015 season. Orozco will serve as pitching coach with the Class A Peoria Chiefs in the Midwest League, while Ortiz will join Marmol on the staff at Palm Beach.

Rodriguez, who led the rookie-level Johnson City Cardinals to the 2014 Appalachian League title, brings a wealth of professional experience to the Spikes bench in 2015. His professional coaching career spans over 25 years and includes stints with the Yankees, Expos and Marlins. Rodriguez has spent the past five seasons managing Cardinals' affiliates at Quad Cities (2010-11), Palm Beach (2012-13) and Johnson City (2014). He also previously managed in the New York-Penn League with the Jamestown Jammers in 2002.

The Cuban-born Rodriguez has also coached at the high school, junior college and Division I levels, including a stint as an assistant coach at the University of Miami (FL). He also has scouting experience with Astros, Angels, Mets and Brewers organizations. His son, Sean, has spent the last seven seasons as a Major League Baseball middle infielder with the Angels (2008-09) and Rays (2010-14), and is currently a member of the Pirates' 40-man roster after being traded to Pittsburgh in early December.

Like Rodriguez, LaFrancois has 20+ years Minor League coaching experience serving at every level with several different Major League organizations including the White Sox, Giants, Mets, Expos and Braves. The 57-year-old joined the Cardinals in 2010 and served as hitting coach for the NYPL's Batavia Muckdogs for three seasons.

Marrero, 28, is in his third season as a pitching coach in the St. Louis system, having spent the previous two years with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Cardinals. Marrero, a native of Venezuela, pitched professionally from 1998-2004 with the Montreal Expos organization, attaining his highest level at Double-A with the Harrisburg Senators.

Dan Martin, who has served as the team's head athletic trainer the past two seasons, will return to his same post in 2015.

The Spikes will open defense of their New York-Penn League championship on Friday, June 19 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park against Williamsport (Phillies). Season tickets, McDonald's Flex Books and group outings for the Spikes' Tenth Season are currently available by calling (814) 272-1711 and at StateCollegeSpikes.com.