Kane County Cougars Baseball Announces 2013 Coaching Staff

The Kane County Cougars, now a Chicago Cubs affiliate, announced the coaching staff for the 2013 season.  

Mark Johnson has been named the manager, Ron Villone as pitching coach, and Tom Beyers as hitting coach.

Johnson spent the last two seasons in Boise as manager and led Boise into the Northwest League Championship series last season.  Johnson spent eight seasons as a catcher in the Big Leagues and his first four seasons with the Chicago White Sox.

Villone was the pitching coach for Peoria last season and played for 12 different Major League teams in his career.

Beyers has been a coach or coordinator with the Cubs for more than a decade.  Beyers managed the 2004 Boise franchise to a Northwest League championship in 2004.

Jason Anderson Joins University of Illinois Baseball Staff

Former Major Leaguer and Illini pitcher Jason Anderson joins the fighting Illini coaching staff as a volunteer coach.  Jason will team up with Drew Dickinson who was named Pitching Coach on August 3rd as Illinois will carry two pitching coaches.

Anderson retired from professional baseball on July 19th.  Anderson also ranks third in wins at Illinois with 29 and holds the single season record for victories with 14.

Drew Dickinson was named Pitching Coach after a seven year professional career and spending two years as a volunteer assistant coach at Illinois.  Drew was 30-7 in his career at Illinois.

RiverHawks Baseball Add Patrick O'Sullivan and Scott Roehl as Coaches

Two former players, Patrick O'Sullivan and Scott Roehl, are back with the RiverHawks, now as coaches. 

Patrick O'Sullivan was 13th on the active minor-league home run list retired after 12 seasons playing professional baseball to become Rockford's hitting coach for the 2011 season.  In his final season Patrick hit 13 homers, two shy of the RiverHawks record.

Scott Roehl accepted the RiverHawks pitching coach position and also announced his retirement as a player.  Roehl saved 18 games which is a team record for the RiverHawks.  Roehl closed out his playing career with a 28-27 record and 56 saves.

Justin Lord takes over as Pitching Coach for Southern Illinois Miners Baseball

Former Pensacola Pelican pitching coach Justin Lord takes over the Southern Illinois Miner pitching staff for the 2011 baseball season.

Lord, who playing minor league ball in both the Royals and Pirates, spent the last two season with the Pelicans.  Justin was the ace of the St. Paul Saints pitching staff in 2006 where he went 11-3 in 120 innings.

Lord replaces Bart Zeller who was named the manager of Joliet Slammers.

Casey Kopitzke Returns to Manage the Peoria Chiefs for 2011

The Chicago Cubs and Peoria Chiefs announced that Casey Kopitzke will return to manage the Chiefs for a second season.  Also announced was the addition of pitching coach Jeff Fassero, and hitting coach Ricardo Medina along with athletic trainer A.J. Larson.

Kopitzke, a Green Bay native, was drafted by the Cubs in in 1999 out of the University of Wisconsin.  Overall Kopitzke has spent 12 years in the Cubs organization as a player, coach and manager.

Fassero, a Sprinfield IL native, attended Springfield Griffin High School and Lincoln Land College, spent 16 years in professional baseball.  This is Jeff's second season as a coach in the Cubs organization as last year he was with the Boise Hawks.

Medina makes his second appearance as the Chiefs hitting coach, last time in 2005.  Medina signed with the Cubs in 1989 and played in Peoria from 1991-1993.

A.J. Larson was also in Boise last season with Fassero which was his first season with in the Cubs organization.  Larson graduated from Northern Illinois University.