Traverse City’s field manager is Josh Rebandt. Josh is the first and only field manager in franchise history.

Rebandt, also known as Coach Reebs, was hired in the fall of 2018 and under his management, the Pit Spitters won two Northwoods League Championships, one in 2019 and again in 2021. The Pit Spitters were the first team in league history to win back-to-back titles without an official 2020 season. Rebandt was named the 2019 Northwoods League Field Manager of the Year and led the Pit Spitters to multiple league records including an 18-game winning streak in 2019, and in 2022 saw the team win the Regular Season Great Lakes East Division with a 45-27 record before dropping out in the first round of the playoffs.

Since beginning his coaching career in 2011, thirty of Rebandt’s players have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft along with five more who have signed as free agents after the draft. The Pit Spitters currently have ten players in Major League Baseball organizations.

For all player personnel questions please contact Josh at JoshR@PitSpitters.com

Reid begins his fourth season in Traverse City, having joined Manager Josh Rebandt for the Pit Spitters inaugural season in 2019 and helping coach the team to back to back Northwoods Leagues titles. Known to his players as Coach T, Reid brings a wealth of experience to the dugout with over 500 career wins as the all-time winningest coach at both Eastern Nazarene (NCAA D3) and Olivet Nazarene (NAIA) University. He was named Conference Coach of Year in 2004 and 2016 and has seen dozens that he has coached go on to play professionally including 2013 MLB draft pick Ben Heller, who was Reid’s first former player to reach the big leagues when he debuted for the New York Yankees in 2016.

Reid and Rebandt first coached together at Olivet Nazarene where the two led the Tigers to a conference championship and NAIA National Tournament appearance in 2016. After the 2019 season Reid stepped down from his head coaching role at ONU to lead the Sport Management and Rec. Sports programs and is currently a degree candidate in the Global Sport Leadership Doctoral program at East Tennessee State University. That summer he re-united with his former pitching coach, switching roles to work for Rebandt in Traverse City.

Reid is married to Wendy Reid, Director of Athletics at Trinity Christian College in Palos Height, IL and has three daughters; Maddux, Mia, and Montana, and a dog, Mookie. They reside in Bourbonnais, IL near the campus of Olivet Nazarene where he teaches.

A native of Traverse City, Wila returns north for his 3rd season, his second with the Pit Spitters, after serving as the hitting coach for the Great Lakes Resorters in 2020. Last summer under Wila’s guidance, the Pit Spitters offense set franchise records in stolen bases (203), RBI (391), BB (421), HBP (96), and runs (448) en route to a 45-win season and post-season berth. In addition, 2020 Resorter and 2022 Pit Spitter Jakob Marsee was selected in the 6th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres.

Wila spent 6 years as as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, Aquinas College, before joining the coaching staff at Eastern Michigan in August of 2022. At Eastern, Wila works with the outfielders and offense, as well as coordinating their camps.

When he’s not at the ballpark this summer, you’ll find Casey trout fishing on the Boardman, paddle boarding in the bay, and enjoying a beer at Oaky’s Tavern.

Brian Martin joins the club for his first year as a Traverse City Pit Spitter from Michigan State University- Go Spartans! Martin’s baseball career includes honors as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honoree, and Martin was a Varsity Letter Winner at Michigan State University three times. Martin also worked as a private pitching instructor at Capital City Baseball Kingdom and Legacy Center Sports Complex and during that time, he earned his Rapsodo Pitching Certification. In high school, Martin was a three-time all-district, and two-time all-region and all-state selection athlete and was rated the No. 4 pitcher in Michigan by Perfect Game as well as the No. 14 player overall in Michigan by Prep Baseball Report.

His academic awards include Member of team Leadership Council (Team Captain) his 2022-2023 academic year, and personal interests in 90s rock and country music, the Sopranos TV series and Star Wars movies.