FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kalamazoo, Mich. – The Kalamazoo Growlers are excited to announce that Josh Wilson has been named the new pitching coach for the 2024 season. Currently, Wilson is the Assistant pitching coach and bench coach at the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain in Mena, Arkansas. Before his time at Rich Mountain, Wilson helped run the East Texas Spikes Organization in Tyler, Texas. 

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Growlers for the upcoming season,” Wilson said. “It’s an honor to be a part of such a prestigious team in the Northwoods League, and I’m eager to contribute to the team’s continued success.”

“We are excited to welcome Josh to the Growlers organization,” Growlers manager Cody Piechocki said. “His resume as a player and coach is one that I feel really lends itself to developing our pitchers into future pros. His experience as a former professional will be an invaluable resource to our guys on their path to the big leagues. His attention to detail, doing the little things, and his focus on developing his athletes into outstanding men on and off the field made it very apparent that he was going to be a great fit for our culture in Kalamazoo.”

Originally from Carrollton, Texas, Wilson was the 2nd round (70th overall) draft pick in the 2005 Major League Baseball draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He spent seven years in the minor leagues with the organization, appearing in 160 total innings and making it as high as AA with the Springfield Cardinals. 

“What excites me most about the upcoming season is the opportunity to work with talented young pitchers and help them grow both as athletes and individuals,” Wilson said. “I’m looking forward to witnessing their development and contributing to the team’s success on the field. The Northwoods League has a rich history and passionate fan base, which adds to the excitement of being part of the Growlers organization. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

The hopes for Wilson in regard to the upcoming season are to help the Growlers develop a strong pitching staff and provide players with the guidance and support they need to excel on, and off, the field. He is married to Cecily and the couple have two kids: Austin (13) and Cason (7).

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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. Now in its’ 29th 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, 300 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 (NYM), 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 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner, and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. 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.