PAPILLION, NE – The Kansas City Royals announced today the 2025 Omaha Storm Chasers coaching staff, headlined by manager Mike Jirschele returning for his 17^th season at the helm of the Triple-A Omaha franchise. The 2024 International League Manager of the Year, “Jirsch” will be joined on the Storm Chasers coaching staff by three returning coaches – Pitching Coach Dane Johnson, Hitting Coach Bijan Rademacher and Assistant Pitching Coach Dave Lundquist. New to the organization in 2025 are Bench/Assistant Hitting Coach Darin Everson and Bench/1st Base Coach Pat Osborn. Jirschele’s staff is rounded out with returning Athletic Trainer James Stone, Athletic Trainer Amanda Gallone, returning Strength and Conditioning Coach CJ Mikkelsen and returning Clubhouse Coordinator Mike Brown. The support staff also includes returning Player Development Trainee Jeremy Owens and Nutrition Fellow Quinn Keleher.

“We’re excited that Jirsch, Dane, Bijan, Dave, James, CJ, Mike and Jeremy are returning to Werner Park,” Storm Chasers President Martie Cordaro said. “It’s been a pleasure to have Jirsch back with the Chasers the last two years, especially as he and his staff helped lead the way to our 8^th league title. We are glad so much of the staff is returning and equally looking forward to welcoming Darin, Pat, Amanda and Quinn to the team for what should be another great season.”

Jirschele continues his third stint as Omaha manager, returning to lead the Storm Chasers in 2023 after managing the club from 1995 to 1997 and again from 2003 through 2013. The Clintonville, Wisconsin native holds a regular season record of 1152-1154 with the Triple-A Omaha club, making him franchise’s all-time winningest manager. The 2024 Manager of the Year recognition was the third such award of Jirschele’s career, but his first time honored with Omaha, as he led the International League Champion Storm Chasers to a league-best 89-59 record in the regular season. Last season, Omaha set a franchise record with 89 wins en route to the club’s first International League championship and eighth Triple-A league title. 2025 marks Jirschele’s 34^th season coaching in the Royals organization, having previously led the Chasers to two Pacific Coast League titles (2011, 2013) and a Triple-A Championship in 2013, with managerial experience in the Gulf Coast League, Midwest League and Carolina League as well before reaching Triple-A in 1995. His 1,365 wins managing in the Minor Leagues across all levels rank as the 7^th-most among active Minor League managers.

Prior to rejoining the Chasers, Jirschele held roles as the bench coach in Northwest Arkansas (Royals Double-A Affiliate) and Quad Cities (Royals High-A affiliate), having also spent six seasons on the Major League staff in Kansas City as the Royals’ third base coach from 2014 to 2019.

“After the season we had last year, I couldn’t be more excited to return to Omaha,” Jirschele said. “I enjoy coming back to Omaha because of the support the community gives the team, it really does feel like a second home here. Having the chance to work with many of same staff that has made my life so easy these last couple of years and send some more guys to the big leagues for the first time should make this season a good one.”

Johnson returns for his fifth season as Omaha’s pitching coach after guiding the International League’s best pitching staff in 2024. En route to the league championship, Storm Chasers pitchers led the IL in ERA (4.21), tied for the league lead in WHIP (1.37) and ranked second in opponents’ average (.242). Now entering his 26^th season as a coach, Johnson joined the Royals organization in 2020 after spending 2019 with the Miami Marlins organization and the previous 19 years with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he served as the Major League bullpen coach (2015-2018), a pitching coordinator (2004-2014) and Minor League pitching coach (2000-2003). A second-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 1984, Johnson pitched parts of three seasons in the Major Leagues for the White Sox (1994), Blue Jays (1996) and Athletics (1997). 4,990 strikeouts by Omaha’s pitchers during Johnson’s tenure with the Storm Chasers rank as the most under one Omaha pitching coach, while a .258 opponents’ average is the lowest in the modern era (since 2005). 12 pitchers have gone from Omaha to make their Major League debut under Johnson’s tutelage over the last four seasons, with Walter Pennington and Will Klein being the most recent debutants in 2024.

Rademacher enters his third season as the Chasers’ hitting coach after holding the same role the last two seasons. He joined the Royals in 2023 after spending two years in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as the Arizona Complex League hitting coach (2022) and Minor League hitting coordinator (2021). Rademacher was the Chicago Cubs’ 13th round draft pick in 2012 and played seven seasons in the Cubs system through the 2018 season, including parts of three seasons with Triple-A Iowa. The .346 on-base percentage Omaha hitters have produced over Rademacher’s two seasons with the club is the highest under any hitting coach that has spent multiple seasons with the Triple-A Omaha franchise, while a .785 OPS is the 2^nd-best mark.

Lundquist returns to the Storm Chasers for his second season as Omaha’s assistant pitching coach and his 20th season overall as a coach. Prior to joining the Royals organization, Lundquist spent the previous 15 years in the Philadelphia Phillies organization as Major League bullpen coach (2021-2023) and assistant pitching coach (2019-2020), as well as a minor league pitching coach (2008-2018). Lundquist also spent three years as a minor league pitching coach in the Pittsburgh Pirates system (2005-2007). A fifth-round pick by the Chicago White Sox in 1993, he pitched parts of three seasons in the Major Leagues for the White Sox (1999) and San Diego Padres (2001-2002), also spending 2000 Spring Training with the Royals.

Everson joins Omaha for his first year in the Royals organization, after spending the last two seasons as the hitting coach at Double-A Binghamton in the New York Mets organization. He spent the previous 10 seasons in the Colorado Rockies system as the hitting coordinator (2018-2022), Triple-A hitting coach (2017), Double-A manager (2015-2016) and Double-A hitting coach (2013-2014). Everson also spent four years in the Florida Marlins organization as a hitting coach (2006) and manager (2007-2009) with two seasons managing the Frontier League’s Washington Wild Things as well. He played three seasons of Minor League Baseball in the Montreal (1994-1995) and Boston (1998) systems, also playing parts of five seasons of independent baseball in the Frontier League and Northern League.

Osborn also joins Omaha for his first year in the Royals organization, after spending the last five years in the Miami Marlins organization, most recently three seasons as Miami’s Minor League Field Coordinator. He spent the previous six seasons (2014-2019) as a manager in the New York Yankees system and was named the 2016 Florida State League Manager of the Year with the High-A Tampa Yankees. A second-round draft pick by Cleveland in 2002 out of the University of Florida, he played six seasons in the Minors between 2002 and 2007, also playing five years of independent baseball (2008-2010, 2012-2013) with the Atlantic League’s Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

Stone returns for his seventh year as Omaha’s athletic trainer and 16^th year in the Royals’ organization, having worked with the Storm Chasers since 2019. He spent the previous seven seasons with Kansas City at High-A Wilmington (2011-2018), where he was named the Carolina League Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2015, and one season at advanced rookie Burlington (2010). Prior to joining the Royals organization, Stone spent one year in Arena Football with the Central Valley Coyotes (2009), three seasons in the Florida Marlins’ organization (2006-2008), earning New York-Penn League Trainer of the Year honors in 2006, and one with the Baltimore Orioles (2005) as a strength and conditioning coach.

Gallone joins the Storm Chasers for her first year in the Royals organization and third year in Minor League Baseball. She spent 2024 with the New York Mets organization as an associate athletic trainer for Single-A St. Lucie and worked as an athletic training apprentice in 2023 for Single-A Fayetteville in the Houston Astros organization.

Mikkelsen returns for his second year with the Storm Chasers as Omaha’s strength and conditioning coach, his sixth year in the Royals organization. Prior to moving up to Triple-A in 2024, he spent the previous three seasons as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Double-A Northwest Arkansas, where he was named the 2023 Texas League Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. Mikkelsen joined the Royals in 2020, slated to work at Advanced Rookie Idaho Falls, after graduating in December 2019 with a master’s degree from Texas A&M and earning his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in 2016.

Brown returns for his seventh season as the clubhouse coordinator for the Storm Chasers and his 17th year overall in Omaha. He has previously served as the home clubhouse manager, visiting clubhouse manager and home clubhouse assistant, both at Werner Park and Rosenblatt Stadium.

Owens returns for his third year with the Storm Chasers and Royals as a player development trainee in Omaha, holding that same position in 2023 and 2024. A native of Florida, Owens has previously spent time in scouting and player development with the Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds.

Keleher joins the Storm Chasers for his first season in professional baseball, after graduating in 2023 with a master’s degree from Iowa State University. A native of Colorado, Keleher is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer.

FULL 2025 OMAHA STORM CHASERS FIELD AND SUPPORT STAFF

Manager: Mike Jirschele (17^th season with Omaha) jursh-LEE
Pitching Coach: Dane Johnson (5^th season with Omaha)
Assistant Pitching Coach: Dave Lundquist (2^nd season with Omaha) LUND-kwist
Hitting Coach: Bijan Rademacher (3^rd season with Omaha) bee-ZHON RAH-de-MOCK-er
Bench/Assistant Hitting Coach: Darin Everson (1^st season with Omaha)
Bench/1st Base Coach: Pat Osborn (1^st season with Omaha)
Athletic Trainer: James Stone (7^th season with Omaha)
Athletic Trainer: Amanda Gallone (1^st season with Omaha)
Strength and Conditioning Coach: CJ Mikkelsen (2^nd season with Omaha)
Clubhouse Coordinator: Mike Brown (17^th season with Omaha)
Player Development Trainee: Jeremy Owens (3^rd season with Omaha)

Nutrition Fellow: Quinn Keleher (1^st season with Omaha)