MUSTANGS NAME CRAIG MADDOX MANAGER
Pitching Coach Dennis Rasmussen Returns with New Hitting Coach Joel Hartman
The Billings Mustangs today announced that Craig Maddox, last season's hitting coach and a former San Francisco Giants hitting coach, will serve as the team's manager for the 2024 season. Maddox replaces the team's 2023 field manager, Billy Horton, who is pursuing other opportunities. Maddox will be joined in the dugout by former Dennis Rasmussen, a 12-year MLB veteran, who returns for his second season as the club's pitching coach, and Joel Hartman from Prospect Dugout, who will serve as the team's hitting coach. The announcement comes on the heels of a fantastic 2023 season and marks a new era of leadership and excellence for the organization.
Maddox, 38, begins his second season with the Mustangs and was an integral part of the team's run to the league championship series. He played his college ball at Southeastern University, where he led his team to three consecutive NCAA national titles. Originally signed by the Detroit Tigers, Maddox played in the minor leagues for farm teams of both Detroit and the Atlanta Braves before moving onto the Atlantic League, the highest level of independent baseball, where in 2016 he hit .306 for the New Britain club. After a 13-year playing career, Maddox went into coaching. He served as a hitting coach in the San Francisco Giants' minor league system in 2021 and 2022, working exclusively with their rookie league affiliate, the AZL Giants Orange, in 2022. His tenure with the Giants exemplified his ability to translate his playing experience into impactful coaching, helping young talents reach their full potential.
"It's an honor to manage the Billings Mustangs, and I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to manage the great group of players we have returning along with the new additions to the ball club," said Maddox, who is known both for his deep understanding of the game and his leadership skills. "Billings is a city with a rich baseball tradition, and I am eager to be a part of its baseball history. We are dedicated to delivering an exceptional 2024 season to our loyal fans and the entire community."
"The Billings Mustangs had a remarkable 2023 season and as we embark on 2024, we're going to build on that success by retaining our core group of exceptional players while strategically adding new talent," said team owner Dave Heller. "Craig Maddox and Dennis Rasmussen showed us last year that they are the right guys to lead our team to a Pioneer League championship. I'm thrilled to have both of them back – and to welcome Joel Hartman, who is a great teacher of the game, to our team."
Rasmussen, 64, was a first-round draft choice of the California Angels who went on to pitch twelve years in the major leagues. During that time, he compiled a 91-77 won-loss record with a 4.15 ERA. His best season came in 1986, when he led the New York Yankees staff with a record of 18-6 and was second in the American League in hits per nine innings with a rate of 7.12 (trailing only Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens). Rasmussen went on to pitch for the Reds, Padres, Cubs, and Royals before retiring after the 1995 season. He later served as a pitching coach in both the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox organizations, beginning his coaching career in Montana with the Pioneer League's Butte Copper Kings.
"I think the world of Craig and am looking forward to working with him and building on what we started last season," said Rasmussen. "Craig and I helped build something really special this year and we are determined to bring a Championship back to Billings and our great fans and host families!"
Hartman, a Bradenton, FL native, played 3 years collegiately at Southeastern University from 2002- 2005, winning a national championship, before finishing his college career at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He signed his first professional contract with the Golden Baseball League in 2007 and went on to play in multiple independent leagues, including the Continental League, Frontier League, and Pecos League. After retiring as a player, Hartman began mentoring elite high school and college baseball players through Prospect Dugout. Three years later, he initiated professional baseball tryouts with Prospect Dugout and has helped more than 100 players sign professional baseball contracts.
"I am excited to be the hitting coach in Billings and work with the next generation of professional baseball athletes as they pursue their dream of playing at the big league level," said Hartman. "I am thrilled to be coming to Billings, becoming part of that great community, and working with Craig and Dennis to help lead the Mustangs to a Pioneer League Championship."