21-year history . The ValleyCats posted a franchise-record 55 wins in 2023 .
Under Incaviglia ’ s guidance , the ValleyCats saw 15 players return to Major League organizations through contract purchases or the draft . That includes pitcher Kumar Rocker , who pitched for Tri-City in 2022 before being selected by the Texas Rangers with the third overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft .
Incaviglia has held many coaching and managing positions at the professional level , including winning championships as a manager with the Sugar Land Skeeters ( 2018 , Atlantic League ) and Laredo Lemurs ( 2015 , American Association ). He has previously managed in the DFW area , as he was named manager of the Grand Prairie AirHogs for their inaugural season in 2007 . Incaviglia was named NCAA Player of the Century after a standout career at Oklahoma State University . The slugger owns the college baseball record for home runs in a career ( 100 ) and single season ( 48 ).
The Times-Review had the opportunity to sit down with Incaviglia in January when the Texas Rangers ’ World Series Trophy was at La Modera Field and asked him about what his plans are for the season .
“ Most teams take on the identity of the person running it ,” he said . “ I guess you can say that I was passionate about the game of baseball and believed it should be played the right way , which is really important to me . You give the fans their money worth . You run hard
Former Texas Ranger and Cleburne Railroaders ’ Club Manager Pete Incaviglia autographs a young fan ’ s Rangers jersey .
Photo by Monica Faram
to first base . You get dirty for a baseball on defense . You ’ re a good teammate and you care about the emblem on your chest . It ’ s important to you .
“ I would say probably that I ’ m a little bit of old school . I believe that when you show up to play the people in this organization expect you to be giving them 100 percent . That ’ s pretty much the way I played . I didn ’ t leave anything on the field . Regardless of what I was doing I was going to try to do something to help the baseball team I was playing for to win a baseball game .”
Incaviglia said he plans to impress that same passion on his players .
“ You ’ re going to see guys hustle , guys care about each other , care about the emblem on their hat and on their chest and play for a championship every day ,” he said .
Incaviglia said he ’ s lived in the DFW Metroplex since the Texas Rangers traded for him in 1986 . When he heard about the possibility of change on the field for the Railroaders , he made a couple of phone calls .
“ They called me back , made a few interviews and all of the sudden I ’ m the manager of the Cleburne Railroaders ,” he said jokingly . “ Something of that nature .”
He said he was impressed with the new front office people , that sold him on the job .
“ Front office and the people that work here and the people at REV Entertainment are just top notch ,” he said . “ That makes a big difference . They know what they ’ re doing . They ’ re professional . They ’ ve been doing it . They support me with players and housing and I support them . It ’ s been a good marriage so far .”
Jaramillo is a longtime hitting instructor that spent more than two decades as a Major League hitting coach with the Houston Astros ( 1990-93 ), Texas Rangers ( 1995-2009 ), and Chicago Cubs ( 2010-12 ). He presided over some of the Rangers ’ top offensive teams in franchise history during that period . Jaramillo was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 .
Carey joins the Railroaders after spending the 2023 season on Incaviglia ’ s staff as pitching coach for the Tri-City ValleyCats . He spent the previous four seasons as manager of the New Jersey Jackals , winning the 2019 Can-Am League championship .
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