Matthew LeCroy to Manage Red Wings for Fourth Consecutive Season

MATTHEW LECROY will return for a fourth season as the Rochester Red Wings manager in 2024, announced on Friday by the Washington Nationals. With 796 career MiLB managerial wins, LeCroy managed the Red Wings to a 66-80 record in 2023 while utilizing a franchise record 82 different players. LeCroy becomes the first manager to be tabbed as the Rochester skipper for a fourth consecutive year since Stan Cliburn managed the Red Wings from 2006-2009.

LeCroy’s coaching staff for the 2024 season:
BRIAN DAUBACH - Hitting Coach (4th Season) RAFAEL CHAVES - Pitching Coach (3rd Season)
BILLY MCMILLON - Development Coach (3rd Season) DANIEL MINTER - Performance Analyst (3rd Season) ERIC MONTAGUE - Athletic Trainer (4th Season)
MIKE WARREN - Strength & Conditioning (4th Season)

RAFAEL CHAVES returns as the club’s Pitching Coach, while BILLY MCMILLON will serve as the Development Coach, both entering their third year in Rochester. BRIAN DAUBACH, like LeCroy, will enter his fourth season as Hitting Coach for the Red Wings, having been the only hitting coach since the Red Wings began their affiliation with Washington in 2021. Athletic Trainer ERIC MONTAGUE and Strength and Conditioning Coach MIKE WARREN will both return for their fourth seasons. DANIEL MINTER will enter his third season on the Rochester coaching staff as the Performance Analyst, his second season in that role.

LECROY, 48, enters his 16th season in the Nationals organization and 13th as a Minor League manager. The South Carolina native previously managed Double-A Harrisburg (2016-19, 2012-13), Single-A Potomac (2011), and Single-A Hagerstown (2009-10). His combined Minor League record as a manager is 796-879 (.475), and he has led his teams to three playoff appearances, including a spot in the Eastern League finals in 2013. The Clemson University alum was slated to be the Nationals Minor League Quality Control Coordinator in 2020 before the cancellation of the MiLB season. The former Major League catcher spent two seasons as Washington’s Bullpen Coach (2014-15). The 50th overall pick in the 1997 MLB Draft played eight seasons in the Major Leagues with Minnesota (2000-2005; 2007) and Washington (2006). LeCroy became the 17th player to manage the Red Wings (full-time) after previously playing for Rochester.

RAFAEL CHAVES, 56, previously worked as the Director of Pitching Development for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2019-2022. He joined the Phillies as a Pitching Coordinator in 2015 and remained in that role until 2019. Before joining Philadelphia, he worked six years with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a Special Assistant (2014) and Minor League Pitching Coordinator (2009-13). The Puerto Rican native
was a MiLB Pitching Coach for the New York Yankees in 2008, helping Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to the Governors’ Cup while his staff led the International League with a 3.67 ERA. His previous 10 seasons were spent with the Seattle Mariners organization (1998-07) as a Pitching Coach at every level, including with the Major League Club from 2006-07. Chaves enjoyed a 12-year Minor League Career while pitching to a 3.51 ERA in 487 games (five starts) between the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins, and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations.

BILLY MCMILLON, 52, managed the Worcester Red Sox in their inaugural season in 2021 and led the WooSox to a 74-54 record. He managed Pawtucket in 2019 and was set to lead the PawSox in 2020 before the cancellation of the MiLB season. The former Clemson University Tiger was the Minor League Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator for the Boston Red Sox from 2016-18 after managing for six seasons with Double-A Portland (2014-15), Single-A Salem (2012-13), and Single-A Greenville (2010-
11). His coaching career began in 2008 when he was Greenville’s Hitting Coach. McMillon played 12 professional seasons, including parts of six years in the Major Leagues with the Oakland Athletics (2001-04), Detroit Tigers (2000-01), Philadelphia Phillies (1997), and Florida Marlins (1996-97). He was a three-time International League All-Star and the 1996 IL Rookie of the Year with Charlotte, earning him induction into the IL Hall of Fame in 2019 and Charlotte’s Round Table of Honor in 2022. McMillon was initially selected in the eighth round of the 1993 MLB Draft by Florida.

BRIAN DAUBACH, 51, embarks on his 14th season as a coach in the Nationals chain. The former Major League first baseman will instruct the organization’s Triple-A hitters for an eighth season. Before his current role, he managed five seasons in the system with Double-A Harrisburg (2014-15), Single-A Potomac (2013), and Single-A Hagerstown (2011-12). The 2013 Potomac Nationals had the best overall record (84-55) in the Carolina League, winning both the first and second-half North titles before falling to Salem in the Mills Cup Championship. His 2012 Hagerstown Suns team had the best overall record in the South Atlantic League at 82-55 and won the Second-Half Division title before falling to Greensboro in the first round of the playoffs. Daubach played in 661 MLB games over eight seasons for the New York Mets (2005), Chicago White Sox (2003), Boston Red Sox (1999-2002, 2004), and Florida Marlins (1998), earning a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2004. He also suited up for 1,235 additional Minor League games during a 17-year playing career (1990-2006). The Mets selected Daubach in the 17th round of the 1990 MLB Draft out of West High School in Belleville, IL.

ERIC MONTAGUE embarks on his seventh Triple-A season and fourth with the Wings after spending the previous four seasons (2014-17) with Double-A Harrisburg. The 2024 season will be his 26th in professional baseball and his 12th season in the Nationals organization after 10 seasons at various levels of the Houston Astros’ chain. Montague joined Washington’s system in 2013 with Single-A Potomac before jumping to Harrisburg the following season.He spent the 2011-12 seasons with Double-A Corpus Christi and worked from 2004-10 with Salem and Lancaster, both Single-A affiliates of the Houston Astros. In 2003, Montague worked with Single-A Lexington after spending the 2002 campaign with Martinsville of the Rookie-Level Appalachian League. Before joining the Astros, he worked in the Mets organization for four seasons (1998-2001). Montague attended Mississippi State University, where he served as a student athletic trainer while earning his Bachelor of Science degree in fitness.

MIKE WARREN enters his 14th season with the Washington Nationals organization and his 10th, leading the Strength and Conditioning program at the Triple-A level. He was Triple-A Syracuse’s Strength and Conditioning Coach from 2015-2018 and High-A Potomac for the four seasons prior. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Kansas Wesleyan University and played Baseball for the NAIA program. His father, also Mike, appeared in 52 Major League games with the Oakland Athletics from 1983-85 and tossed a no-hitter for the A’s vs. the Chicago White Sox on September 29, 1983.

DANIEL MINTER enters his fifth season with the Washington Nationals organization and his third with Roches- ter. Having previously served as the team’s Video and Technology Coordinator in 2021, Minter now enters his second season as the Performance Analyst for the club. Prior to joining the Rochester staff in 2021, Minter oversaw video operations at the Florida Complex League level. Before his time with the Nationals organization, Minter was a part of the Detroit Tigers’ Business Operations Department, serving as a data analyst for parts of two seasons. The University of Florida alum has also spent time with ESPN as an Official Statistician, working at the Gainesville Super Regional during the 2017 College World Series.

Rochester opens the 2024 season on the road with a three-game series against Syracuse (NYM) on March 29. The Red Wings home opener will take place on Tuesday, April 2, against Lehigh Valley (PHI). Season Seats, group outings, single-game suites, picnics, and flex packs can be purchased now by calling 585-454-1001. More information on these options can be found at RedWingsBaseball.com.