Kirk Shrider- Field Manager

Kirk Shrider is entering his third season as the field manager for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. Shrider assisted Craig Noto, the winningest manager in Rafters’ history, for the last two summers. Noto was promoted as the new head coach at Wagner College in 2021. Shrider also served under Noto in 2016 and 2017 helping the Rafters to their first Northwoods League championship in 2016 and the historic 52 win 2017 season.  Shrider previously served as the field manager for the then Green Bay Bullfrogs of the Northwoods League in 2018 before coming over to Wisconsin Rapids.

Shrider served as assistant coach at Hope International University (Fullerton, CA) from 2015-2019. Shrider has previous summer collegiate baseball coaching experience in the Western Baseball Association in California and Gold Coast Collegiate League in Florida. He was also a Southern California high school baseball coach for eight years. Before entering coaching he served as a scout including from 1993 to 1995 for the Milwaukee Brewers.


Brian Dyer – Pitching Coach

 

Brian Dyer is entering his first year in Wisconsin Rapids, but is a familiar face around the Northwoods League. Dyer’s father, Duffy Dyer was announced as the inaugural manager for the Kenosha Kingfish in 2013. Brian served as an assistant coach under his father in Kenosha. Dyer also served as a bench coach for the Battle Creek Bombers, now Battle Jacks. 

Dyer is a graduate of Arizona State University, and currently resides in Arizona.

 


Orlando Rodriguez- Hitting Coach

Orlando Rodriguez is entering his first season with the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, and his first season in the Northwoods League. Rodriguez played two years at New Mexico State, but moved to Phoenix in 2004, where he graduated from Grand Canyon University.

He is currently the Infield Coordinator for Ottawa University Arizona, and previously was the head baseball coach for Willow Canyon High School in Arizona, where he was named Coach of the Year in his first season.