Hot Tots Commit to Growth on the Field

Mitch Gallagher Will Return as Field Manager with New On-Field Strategy

December 4, 2023 Minot, ND – Mitch Gallagher will return to Minot this summer as the Field Manager for the Minot Hot Tots. Gallagher was the Field Manager for the team in its inaugural season last year. The Hot Tots made the decision to bring him back for the 2024 season, attributing this decision to his positivity and commitment to helping his players develop.

“Mitch is a great asset to our team in more ways than one. He cares about winning on the field, but he also cares about creating a great experience on and off the field for the young athletes that come to play for the Hot Tots,” said General Manager and Managing Partner Monica Hocking. “He learned a lot during his first-ever head coaching role last year, and we are excited to give him another chance to develop in his career.”

“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to come back to Minot. We learned a lot from last season and I am looking forward to this season” said Gallagher

For the 2024 season, the Hot Tots have committed to building a strong supporting staff, investing in high-end equipment, and utilizing technology available to the team. The Hot Tots will see an expanded coaching staff in 2024. By having a larger staff, coaches can commit more time to developing players and scouting opponents. Coaches will use tools provided by the Northwoods League such as Trackman and Synergy to not only scout opponents, but also analyze the current Hot Tots team to find ways to continually improve throughout the Summer. 

“Our main focus is to create a winning culture,” said Gallagher. “We have a lot of talented players that are excited about the opportunity to compete at the highest level, as well as a couple of key returners that will help set the standard.”

Recruitment has also been a major focus for the 2024 season. In 2023 Gallagher, a first-time manager, recruited a complete Northwoods League roster for the first time. This season, the Hot Tots have looked to other successful summer collegiate teams to learn more about what it takes to build a roster that can compete with the best teams in the Northwoods League. In consulting with former summer collegiate managers, systems were developed to ensure the roster is competitive throughout the entire season. 

“With Northwoods League players being college student athletes, recruiting is a giant puzzle and it takes a good strategy to build a high quality roster.” said Gallagher 

With just days between the college season and the Northwoods League season, scheduling a player’s summer can be difficult. Some players have internships to complete over the summer, some have classes, some have innings limits imposed by their schools, and some would like the opportunity to visit their families before they head back to school in the Fall. The Hot Tots have developed a roster structure that accounts for each player’s schedule and allows them to plan for all arrivals and departures. 

“The Northwoods League plays the most games from late May through the middle of August of any baseball league in the country so it is important that we recruit a roster that allows us to stay fresh and competitive all season long” said Hocking “You will see many guys play for the Hot Tots this season and that will be done by design.”

“I’m most excited about the opportunity to build something special in Minot. I think with the plans we have in place, we are on the right track to set Minot up at the premier place to play in the Northwoods League” said Gallagher.

The team is excited for another year of bringing aspiring baseball players to Minot as they work on developing their skill set. “Continuing to give our players and coaches the opportunity to grow and develop in this game is always a really exciting piece of what we do. I can’t wait to welcome back some old faces, and show the new faces what Minot has to offer,” said Hocking. 

Roster announcements will be made in the following months for the Hot Tots as the head into opening day. Fans who are interested in supporting the team, hosting a player, becoming a corporate partner, or purchasing tickets can get to www.hottotsbaseball.com or call their office 701-838-8687.