Manager Patrick Osborn to Lead 2026 Omaha Storm Chasers Coaching Staff

PAPILLION, NE – The Kansas City Royals announced today the 2026 Omaha Storm Chasers field and support staff, headlined by manager Patrick Osborn, who returns for his second season with the organization and his first as manager of the Triple-A Omaha club.

Osborn becomes the 20th manager in franchise history after serving as Omaha’s bench coach during the 2025 season. He is joined by a returning staff that includes Pitching Coach Dane Johnson, Hitting Coach Bijan Rademacher, Assistant Pitching Coach David Lundquist, Assistant Coach Tripp Keister, Athletic Trainers James Stone and Amanda Gallone, Strength and Conditioning Coach CJ Mikkelsen and Clubhouse Coordinator Mike Brown. The support staff also includes Assistant Coordinator, Minor League Video Ben Nicholas and Nutrition Fellow Alyssa Druey.

“We’re excited about the experience and continuity this coaching staff brings to Omaha for the 2026 season,” Storm Chasers President Martie Cordaro said. “Pat stepping into the manager’s role is well deserved and we look forward to welcoming this group back to Werner Park as they represent our organization and the community.”

Pat Osborn – Manager

Osborn enters his first season as the Storm Chasers’ manager and his second year in Omaha, marking his seventh season as a Minor League manager and 15^th overall in professional baseball. He was named Omaha’s manager following the 2025 campaign, during which he served as bench coach under Mike Jirschele.

Osborn previously managed six seasons across five levels in the New York Yankees organization (2014-19), after beginning his managerial career with three seasons in the independent Atlantic League with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (2011-13). Before joining the Royals, he spent five years in the Miami Marlins organization as a pro scout (2020-21) and Field Coordinator (2021-24) and served as the National League’s third base coach at the 2021 MLB All-Star Futures Game in Colorado.

During his six seasons in the Yankees system, Osborn compiled a 375-310 (.547) record and led his clubs to the postseason five times, including three league championship series appearances. He guided Double-A Trenton to the Eastern League championship in the club’s final affiliated season in 2019 and was named the 2016 Florida State League Manager of the Year after leading Single-A Tampa to a 77-56 record.

A second-round draft pick by Cleveland in 2002 out of the University of Florida, Osborn played six seasons in the Minors (2002-2007) and three years of independent baseball (2008-2010) with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. He has a daughter, Moa, and resides in Boca Raton, Florida, during the offseason.

“To be afforded the opportunity to lead a Triple-A staff and manage these players brings me a tremendous amount of gratitude,” Osborn said. “I look forward to doing everything I can to provide the players, staff and Royals with a successful 2026 season.”

Dane Johnson – Pitching Coach

Johnson returns for his seventh season as Omaha’s pitching coach, having held the role the past six years. Johnson’s 719 games as the club’s pitching coach represents the second-most of any individual in that role in club history, only trailing the 720 games of Mike Alvarez (1993-1997 Omaha pitching coach).

Entering his 27^th season as a coach, Johnson joined the Royals organization in 2020 after spending 2019 with the Miami Marlins and 19 years with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he served as the Major League bullpen coach (2015-2018), pitching coordinator (2004-2014) and Minor League pitching coach (2000-2003).

A second-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 1984, Johnson pitched parts of three Major League seasons for the White Sox (1994), Blue Jays (1996) and Athletics (1997).

During Johnson’s tenure, Omaha pitchers have recorded 6,294 strikeouts – the most under a single Omaha pitching coach – while a .260 opponents’ batting average ranks as the second-lowest in the modern era (since 2005). 18 pitchers have made their Major League debut under Johnson, including Noah Murdock, Evan Sisk, Noah Cameron, Andrew Hoffmann and Luinder Avila in 2025.

Bijan Rademacher – Hitting Coach

Rademacher returns for his fourth season as Omaha’s hitting coach and his sixth season coaching overall. He joined the Royals in 2023 after spending two years with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as Arizona Complex League hitting coach (2022) and Minor League hitting coordinator (2021).

The Chicago Cubs’ 13th-round draft pick in 2012, Rademacher played professionally for eight years, including seven seasons in the Cubs organization, reaching Triple-A Iowa for parts of three seasons.

Omaha hitters have produced a .342 on-base percentage and .779 OPS over Rademacher’s three seasons, ranking as the third-highest under any hitting coach with multiple seasons in Triple-A Omaha. 12 hitters have made their Major League debut under his guidance, including Tyler Tolbert, Ryan Fitzgerald, John Rave, Jac Caglianone, Cam Devanney and Carter Jensen in 2025.

David Lundquist – Assistant Pitching Coach

Lundquist returns for his third season as Omaha’s assistant pitching coach and his 22^nd season coaching in professional baseball.

Before joining the Royals in 2024, Lundquist spent 15 years in the Philadelphia Phillies organization as Major League bullpen coach (2021-2023), Major League assistant pitching coach (2019-2020) and as a Minor League pitching coach (2008-2018). He also spent three years as a Minor League pitching coach in the Pittsburgh Pirates system (2005-2007) and has coached at every Minor League level, including multiple seasons in the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM).

A fifth-round draft pick by the Chicago White Sox in 1993, Lundquist pitched parts of three Major League seasons for the White Sox (1999) and Padres (2001-2002) and spent 2000 Spring Training with the Royals.

Tripp Keister – Assistant Coach

Keister returns for his second season as an assistant coach with Omaha and his third year in the Royals organization, entering his 15th season coaching in Minor League Baseball.

He previously served as Bench Coach for Single-A Columbia (2025) and Triple-A Omaha (2024) and held a similar role with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders in the Texas Rangers organization (2023).

Keister also spent 11 years as a Minor League manager in the Washington Nationals organization (2012-2022), 12 seasons as a collegiate coach, five years as a pro scout with the San Diego Padres and four years as a Minor League player with the New York Mets.

James Stone – Athletic Trainer

Stone returns for his eighth season as Omaha’s athletic trainer and 17^th year in the Royals organization. He has served as the Storm Chasers’ athletic trainer since 2019 and previously worked seven seasons with High-A Wilmington (2011-2018), where he was named the 2015 Carolina League Athletic Trainer of the Year. Stone joined the Royals in 2010 with Class-A Burlington after one season with the Central Valley Coyotes in Arena Football 2. He also spent three seasons in the Marlins organization (2006-2008), earning New York-Penn League Trainer of the Year in 2006, and one with the Orioles (2005) as a strength and conditioning coach.

Amanda Gallone – Athletic Trainer

Gallone returns for her second season with Omaha and her fourth in Minor League Baseball. Before joining the Royals, she spent 2024 with the New York Mets organization as associate athletic trainer for Single-A St. Lucie and in 2023 worked with the Houston Astros organization an athletic training apprentice for Single-A Fayetteville. Gallone earned her bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Tampa (2022) and previously worked as an athletic trainer at Walt Disney World.

CJ Mikkelsen – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Mikkelsen returns for his third season as Omaha’s strength and conditioning coach and seventh in the Royals organization. He previously spent three seasons with Double-A Northwest Arkansas (2021-2023), where he was named the 2023 Texas League Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. Mikkelsen joined the Royals in 2020, slated to work at Advanced Rookie Idaho Falls, after earning a master’s degree from Texas A&M (2019) and a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University (2016).

Mike Brown – Clubhouse Coordinator

Brown returns for his eighth season as Omaha’s clubhouse coordinator and his 20^th overall year in Omaha. The 2025 International League Home Clubhouse Manager of the Year, he has also served as home clubhouse manager, visiting clubhouse manager, home clubhouse assistant, bat boy and groundskeeper between Werner Park and Rosenblatt Stadium.

Ben Nicholas – Assistant Coordinator, Minor League Video

Nicholas returns for his second year as an Assistant Minor League Video Coordinator, his third season in Omaha’s video department and fourth year overall with the Royals organization. He previously worked as a Player Development Trainee, spending the 2023 season with Omaha and the 2024 season at the Arizona Complex. Prior to joining the Royals, he spent 2022 as a Video Intern with the Chicago Cubs, working with their Triple-A team based in Des Moines, Iowa. A Kansas City area native, Ben graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sport management from the University of Kansas in 2021, where he served as a student manager for the Jayhawks baseball team.

FULL 2026 OMAHA STORM CHASERS FIELD AND SUPPORT STAFF

Manager: Patrick Osborn (2^nd season with Omaha, 1^st as manager)
Pitching Coach: Dane Johnson (6^th season with Omaha)
Assistant Pitching Coach: David Lundquist (3^rd season with Omaha) LUND-kwist
Hitting Coach: Bijan Rademacher (4^th season with Omaha) bee-JAHN RAH-de-MOCK-er
Assistant Coach: Tripp Keister (2^nd season with Omaha) KEY-sterr
Athletic Trainer: James Stone (8^th season with Omaha)
Athletic Trainer: Amanda Gallone (2^nd season with Omaha) guh-loan
Strength and Conditioning Coach: CJ Mikkelsen (3^rd season with Omaha)
Clubhouse Coordinator: Mike Brown (20^th season with Omaha)
Assistant Coordinator, Minor League Video: Ben Nicholas (3^rd season with Omaha)

Nutrition Fellow: Alyssa Druey (1^st season with Omaha)