The first season for the Lynchburg Hillcats as a Cleveland Indians affiliate will see Mark Budzinski at the helm. Tony Arnold joins Budzinski’s 2015 staff as the pitching coach, while Bobby Ruiz and Scott Nealon will serve as the athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach, respectively. Cleveland has not announced the hitting coach for the 2015 Hillcats.
Budzinski comes to Lynchburg after leading the Class-A Lake County Captains to the Midwest League Championship Series last year. Budzinski’s squad finished strong, posting a 38-31 record in the second half of the regular season to secure a playoff spot. The team then swept South Bend and Fort Wayne in the first two rounds of the playoffs to advance to the Championship Series before falling to the Kane County Cougars in three games.
After playing at the University of Richmond, Cleveland selected Budzinski in the 21st round of the 1995 draft. Budzinski played professionally for 11 seasons, and he spent the 1997 campaign in the Carolina League as an outfielder for the Kinston Indians. After spending time in the Indians, Cubs and Brewers systems, Budzinski made his Major League debut with the Cincinnati Reds on August 3, 2003. He appeared in four games before returning to Triple-A.
Arnold enters his 26th season as a minor league pitching coach and his 23rd in the Indians organization. This marks Arnold’s fourth stint in the Carolina League, as he was the pitching coach at Kinston in 1995, 2007 and 2010. He served as the pitching coach for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers the past two years. An All-American at the University of Texas, Arnold was taken in the 10th round of the 1981 draft by the Baltimore Orioles, and he played his first seven professional seasons in their organization. The right-handed pitcher broke into the big leagues on August 9, 1986. He appeared in 38 games and struck out 25 batters in his career.
Ruiz and Nealon both remain in the Carolina League after serving in the same capacities for the Carolina Mudcats last year.
Lynchburg opens the 2015 season on the road Thursday, April 9 at the Potomac Nationals. The Hillcats home opener is slated for Thursday, April 16. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 434-528-1144 or by stopping by the Front Office Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Single game and book tickets will go on sale March 1.
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