KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Growlers are delighted to announce that Field Manager, Cody Piechocki, will be returning to the role in the 2018 season. 2018 will be Piechocki’s sixth season as a coach in the Northwoods League and second year as Field Manager with the Kalamazoo Growlers. From 2014 to 2016, Piechocki served as the Growlers hitting and fielding coach.
Piechocki is excited to be back at Homer Stryker Field, “Humbled to have had my contract extended with the Growlers and to have the opportunity to continue to lead such a great organization. We were able to learn a lot last season about what it takes to run a successful team on a day to day basis. My coaching staff and I are looking forward to building on our success in the second half of last season and carrying that over into the 2018 season.”
Commenting on the so far unannounced roster, Piechocki stated, “We have worked diligently since the day our 2017 season ended to begin assembling our 2018 roster. We are excited for the community to see the type of talent we are bringing to Kalamazoo this summer.
On the announcement, Brian Colopy, Vice President Kalamazoo Growlers said “We are proud to welcome Cody back to the Kalamazoo Growlers. With his experience we are excited to the give the community not only a fun day at the ballgame, but also a competitive team full of talent.”
Coach Piechocki enters his sixth season as head coach of the Kalamazoo Valley CC baseball program. In 2016 Valley received its first national ranking in program history, getting as high as #19 in the NJCAA poll. Under Piechocki’s guidance the Cougars also received the program’s first Rawling’s Gold Glove Award and first Marucci Elite Hitter Award in 2014. Valley has been honored by the NJCAA and MCCAA for team academic awards twice during Piechocki’s tenure.
Previously, he spent three seasons as the assistant coach for Bernie Vallier in which time the program set the mark twice for wins in a season with 40 in 2012 and 35 in 2010. Piechocki spent two years, 2008 and 2009, as an assistant coach at Kalamazoo College where he served as the catcher/hitting coach as well as having a large role in the recruiting process. In 2007, Piechocki was a varsity assistant baseball coach at Mattawan High School where he worked primarily with the catchers and hitters.
Piechocki played baseball at Mattawan High School and one season at Glen Oaks Community College before suffering a career ending injury. He was a three-year varsity letter winner at Mattawan High School, and earned First Team All-SMAC, First Team All-District and Second Team All-Region honors as a catcher/third baseman. Piechocki is a graduate and proud alumni of Western Michigan University.
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The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, more than 185 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.growlersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Growlers as your favorite team.