Merrill currently serves as the Head Baseball Coach at Eastern Oklahoma State College
Ashwaubenon, Wis.- After leading the franchise to its second Northwoods League Championship in the past three years, the Green Bay Rockers are excited to announce that Field Manager Josh Merrill will be returning to the team in 2026. Merrill currently serves as the Head Baseball Coach at Eastern Oklahoma State College, a position he started this fall after spending three years leading the Northern Iowa Area Community College baseball program. This will be Merrill’s second season in Green Bay.
“I am so excited to come back to Green Bay and represent the Rockers for year number two,” said Merrill. “This past summer was a blast, and I’m stoked for another round with an amazing organization.”
During the regular season, Merrill guided the Rockers to a 42-28 record followed by a perfect 4-0 in the playoffs, culminating in the Rockers defeating the Duluth Huskies for the Northwoods League Championship. On his way to the playoffs, he led the team to become Northwoods League Great Lakes West First-Half Division Champions and coached the Great Lakes Division in the mid-season All-Star Game held in Madison.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Josh and his family back for another season in Green Bay,” said John Fanta, General Manager of the Rockers. “He did an outstanding job leading our players and I know he is excited for the opportunity to chase another title while continuing to build upon the culture that has been created here.”
A native of Wichita, Kansas, Merrill was a right-handed pitcher that started his career at Neosho County Community college where he was a part of back-to-back trips to the NJCAA D1 World Series. After Neosho County, he transferred to the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and later King University. Merrill also has previous Northwoods League experience as a player, pitching for the rival Wausau Woodchucks during the 2012 season. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Oklahoma State University. Merrill currently resides in Oklahoma with his wife and their four children.
Season ticket packages and mini plans including the popular Pep’s Drafthouse Flex Pack, TDS Club, and the Rodac Suites are available now. To purchase tickets, visit www.greenbayrockers.com or call the ticket office at 920-497-7225 to reserve your seats today. The 2026 schedule will be released in the coming weeks. The Rockers front office and Team Apparel Fan Shop at Capital Credit Union Park are located at 2231 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm.
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The Green Bay Rockers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 25 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 410 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com) and ESPN+.