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Cappuccilli Returns to Whitecaps Dugout

February 3, 2025

COMSTOCK PARK, MI – West Michigan Whitecaps manager Tony Cappuccilli is headed back to LMCU Ballpark, returning for his second season at the helm in 2025 with an all-new coaching staff as part of a move announced in conjunction with the Detroit Tigers on Monday. Cappuccilli (pronounced Cap-uh-CHELLY) hit the

COMSTOCK PARK, MI – West Michigan Whitecaps manager Tony Cappuccilli is headed back to LMCU Ballpark, returning for his second season at the helm in 2025 with an all-new coaching staff as part of a move announced in conjunction with the Detroit Tigers on Monday.

Cappuccilli (pronounced Cap-uh-CHELLY) hit the ground running in 2024, going 68-63 to become the first West Michigan skipper to post an over .500 record in his first season since Mike Rabelo in 2017. The 15th manager in club history navigated a particularly strong second half, helping the team to a 37-28 record and the third-highest winning percentage in the Midwest League. The Whitecaps featured one of the best pitching staffs in the Midwest League, posting the second-lowest team ERA at 3.57 while leading the circuit with 13 shutouts.

“Very excited to be back in West Michigan,” said Cappuccilli. “Last year was an awesome experience, and I’m looking forward to seeing LMCU Ballpark again, especially with some of the changes coming their way.” The preparations for the 2025 season began almost immediately after the 2024 season ended, starting with replacing the playing surface. Later in the offseason, the batting tunnel – adjacent to the Whitecaps clubhouse was completed, while the relocation of the bullpens beyond the right-field wall is ongoing in preparation for Opening Night.

Cappuccilli returns to Comstock Park with a brand-new batch of coaches coming with him. Nick Green, who spent last season with the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers, joins the club as pitching coach. Under Green’s tutelage, the Lakeland pitching staff posted the third-lowest ERA in the Florida State League at 3.73 and went 80-50 as a team, coming within one game of winning the league title. Green is no stranger to the Midwest League, having spent his entire 2005 season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels as part of a seven-year professional career that reached the Arizona Fall League in 2008, and Triple-A stops with the Angels (2008) and Brewers (2009).

“We’re excited to have Tony coming back,” said Whitecaps Vice President and General Manager Jim Jarecki. “Watching his competitiveness throughout last year and the excitement build throughout the summer made for an awesome year, and I can’t wait to see the type of talent he gets to work with for this season.”

Matt Malott, who spent the last two seasons as bench coach for the back-to-back Double-A Eastern League champion Erie Seawolves, takes over as hitting coach. Malott starred as a pitcher for Occidental College, graduating in 2014, and helped the program to its best record in over 20 years. Nick Wheeler joins the Whitecaps from the Florida Complex League Tigers as its new athletic trainer, while Corey Fitzgerald takes over as strength and conditioning coach.

“Between the team and all the renovations set for 2025, we can’t wait for this season,” said Jarecki. “The investments the Tigers have made in player development have really paid off and we’re about to see them on full display at LMCU Ballpark beginning April 4.”

The Whitecaps make their return against the Dayton Dragons at LMCU Ballpark on Friday, April 4 at 6:35 pm. Individual tickets go on sale beginning February 18, while you can get information on 2025 season tickets by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.