White Sox Assign Field Staff to Lead Cannon Ballers in 2026

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Chicago White Sox have named the minor league coaches and field staff for the upcoming 2026 season, tabbing Jayson Nix as the new manager of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.

Nix, 43, becomes the fourth different manager for the Cannon Ballers since the team moved to downtown Kannapolis. Notably, Nix is not only the fourth manager in Cannon Ballers history, but also the fourth first-time manager in Cannon Ballers history. The Texas native is the third manager in the last six seasons with MLB playing experience, spending seven years in the big leagues.

Nix retired from playing in 2015, landing with the Los Angeles Angels as a scout in 2017. The former first-round pick in 2001 by the Colorado Rockies transitioned to coaching in 2021 for the Angels, reaching the major-league coaching staff in 2024 as an assistant coach under manager Ron Washington. Nix spent seven years as a utilityman in the big leagues, playing in 466 games, including 118 of those with the White Sox in 2009 and 2010.

Joining the Cannon Ballers staff as a first-year pitching coach will be bench coach Xavier Fernandez, who is no stranger to the White Sox organization. The 30-year-old native of Puerto Rico spent 2021-2023 as a member of the farm system, moving from Advanced-A Winston-Salem up to AAA Charlotte in his three seasons of play. Fernandez batted a lifetime .277 in the minor leagues with 55 home runs and 262 runs batted in. This position of bench coach is the first of its kind for Fernandez, who will begin his coaching career in Towel City.

Rob Hardy becomes the third different pitching coach in the last three seasons for the Cannon Ballers in 2026, earning a bump up from the same role with the Arizona Complex League White Sox last season. Hardy’s pitching staff finished fifth in the ACL with a 4.36 ERA, allowing the second fewest hits (431) and tying the league-lead for most saves (18). The 31-year-old native of Clinton, New York joined the White Sox staff last season after serving as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for Gardner-Webb.

One of just two returning faces to the field staff, Charlie Romero returns for his eighth year in the White Sox organization and fifth as hitting coach for the Cannon Ballers. Romero is no stranger to Towel City, helping the team last year become a force at the plate. The Ballers offense finished the season with the most hits (1028), second- most walks (640) and second-best on-base percentage (.345). Romero played in the minor leagues for six years in the Toronto and Los Angeles Angels organizations.

Joining the staff for her first season in Kannapolis, Kira Felise assumes the role of Athletic Trainer for the Cannon Ballers in 2026. Felise served in the same role last season with the Arizona Complex League White Sox, leaping to her highest level served of professional baseball this year. Felise holds a bachelor’s degree from UNLV and two master’s degrees from Liberty, getting her career started in 2022 with three seasons as the trainer for the baseball team at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The second of two returners to the field staff, Rodain Delus is back as the Performance Coach for Kannapolis in 2026. Delus served in the same role last season, helping the Ballers players obtain and maintain peak physical performance throughout a grueling 132-game schedule. Delus, who was born in Mare Rouge, Haiti, served on a strength and performance staff for seven seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions (2017) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2018-2024) before shifting to baseball. Delus graduated from Southern Utah University in 2015, where he also played wide receiver on the football team.

The complete 2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers field staff is listed below:

Manager: Jayson Nix

Bench Coach: Xavier Fernandez

Pitching Coach: Rob Hardy

Hitting Coach: Charlie Romero

Athletic Trainer: Kira Felise

Performance Coach: Rodain Delus

The 2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers season is right around the corner! Single-game tickets for the 2026 season will be announced soon. Season ticket packages, group experiences and 10-game mini plans are available for purchase now. Call the Cannon Ballers ticket office at (704) 932-3267 or visitkcballers.com for more information.