COACHING STAFF SET FOR THE 2013 RENEGADES

Fishkill, New York - The Hudson Valley Renegades, Short-Season Class-A Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, will welcome former hitting coach Michael Johns to lead the reigning New York-Penn League Champions for the 2013 season.  Joining Johns will be pitching coach; Steve Watson, returning coach; Dan DeMent, and trainer Jeremy Spencer.

John’s joins the Hudson Valley Renegades after spending the last three seasons with the Rookie-level Princeton Rays. While in Princeton, John’s amassed 99 career wins and will be looking for his 100th career win when he arrives at The Dutch this summer.  John’s is no stranger to the Hudson Valley as he spent the 2008-2009 seasons as the hitting coach for the Renegades. Prior to joining the Rays organization, Johns served as head coach at Orange Park (Fla.) High School from 2004-2007 and assistant baseball coach at Fernandina Beach (Fla.) High School from 1999-2003. The former middle infielder was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 19th round of the 1997 June Draft, and played two years for their Class-A affiliates. A graduate of Tulane University, John’s is a two-time Conference USA all-conference shortstop.  This will mark John’s sixth season with the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

Pitching coach Steve Watson joins the Renegades after spending his first two years in the Rays system with the Class-A Advanced, Charlotte Stone Crabs. Before joining the Rays organization, Watson spent three seasons in the Florida Marlins system. In 2010 he served as the pitching coach for the Florida State League’s, Jupiter Hammerheads. In 2008 Watson served as manager of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Marlins and in 2009 served as pitching coach for the New York-Penn League’s Jamestown Jammers. This is his 33rd season in professional baseball, 28th in a coaching capacity. He joined the Rays on December 14, 2010.

Dan DeMent will return to the Hudson Valley for his second season with the Renegades and fifth with the Rays organization. DeMent began his coaching career in 2009 with the Princeton Rays, then spent two years with the Gulf Coast League Rays. DeMent wrapped up an eight-year-playing career spent with the Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals farm systems. Throughout his Minor League career, DeMent went on to be named the Appalachian League’s 2000 All-Star DH and spent the next five years in the Rays system. In 2005, the Washington Nationals selected him in the Minor League Rule 5 Draft. DeMent reached as high as Triple-A in the minor leagues before entering his professional coaching career in 2008.

Jeremy Spencer will return to the Hudson Valley Renegades as the team trainer after spending last season with the Class-A, Bowling Green Hot Rods. Spencer served as the Hudson Valley Renegades team trainer in the 2011 season. He is entering his third season with the Tampa Bay Rays and his sixth season in professional baseball.

Hudson Valley Renegades season tickets, mini-pack plans and group tickets are now available by calling the Renegades Ticket Office at 845-838-0094. For more information, visit hvrenegades.com.