Kalamazoo, MI – The Kalamazoo Growlers will return all four coaches for the 2022 season. As previously announced, Field Manager Cody Piechocki returns at the helm for his 6th season. Piechocki will officially be joined by his same staff from the 2021 season.
Newly appointed Kalamazoo Valley Community College head coach Steve Bennecke will return as the Growlers hitting coach. Bennecke took over head coaching duties at KVCC this fall after Piechocki left the position. Bennecke has been a large part of the community in Kalamazoo over the years from his time coaching at Gull Lake High School and Kalamazoo Christian. 2022 will be the third season for Benencke as the Growlers hitting coach.
Pitching coach Joey Romence returns for his second season with the team. Romence is a product of Kalamazoo Central High School. Romence pitched in college spending two years at Glen Oaks Community College and another two years at Spring Arbor University. He now serves as the pitching coach at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Finally, assistant coach Fred Brown rounds out the staff. Brown also enters his second season with the team. Brown also has ties to KVCC where played baseball there from 1995-1997. Brown has previously coached baseball at Mid Michigan College in 2018 and 2019 before taking an assistant job at Grand Rapids Community College in 2020.
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The Kalamazoo Growlers 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’ 27th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 250 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 World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB Gold Glove finalist and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. 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.