Mariners Reveal Travs Coaches and Staff for 2023
The Arkansas Travelers in conjunction with their parent club the Seattle Mariners are proud to announce the Travs coaching staff for this season led by Manager Mike Freeman. In his first season of coaching following a lengthy playing career, Freeman is joined by Shawn O’Malley (Hitting Coach), Michael Peoples (Pitching
The Arkansas Travelers in conjunction with their parent club the Seattle Mariners are proud to announce the Travs coaching staff for this season led by Manager Mike Freeman. In his first season of coaching following a lengthy playing career, Freeman is joined by Shawn O’Malley (Hitting Coach), Michael Peoples (Pitching Coach), Jose Umbria (Asst. Hitting/Catching Coach), Brennan Mickelson (Strength and Conditioning) as well as Athletic Trainers Amanda Lee and Andy Turner. O’Malley returns to the staff after holding the same role last season while Lee will be in her third year as the Travs’ head athletic trainer.
Mike Freeman, 35, a former Major League player will be in his first coaching role, taking over as the Arkansas skipper. He concluded his playing career in 2021 splitting that season between the Cincinnati Reds and their Triple-A club in Louisville. Over a six year big league career from 2016-21, Freeman appeared in 193 games with six different teams. He played for the Diamondbacks (2016), Mariners (2016-17), Dodgers (2017), Cubs (2017-18), Cleveland (2019-20) and the Reds (2021). His most extensive action was in 2019 with the then-Indians when he appeared in 75 games, hitting .277 with four homers and 24 RBIs. Over his career, he played every defensive position except catcher. A native of Orlando, Florida, Freeman turned pro in 2010 after being selected by Arizona in the 11th round out of Clemson.
“I am excited to be back in the Mariners organization as the manager of the Arkansas Travelers," Freeman said. "We have a great staff, and I am looking forward to assisting them in the development of our players."
Shawn O’Malley returns to Arkansas for his second season as the Travelers Hitting Coach. Last year, the Travs offense scored the third most runs in franchise history and drew the most walks ever by a Travs club. He also mentored Cade Marlowe, Joe Rizzo and Jake Scheiner who became the first trio of Travs to each hit 20+ homers in the same campaign. A former Major Leaguer and former Traveler, O’Malley is in his fourth season of coaching, all with the Mariners. He spent 2021 as the hitting coach at High-A Everett and was supposed to be the High-A hitting coach in 2020 prior to the minor league season cancellation. O’Malley had a 14 year playing career including parts of three seasons in the big leagues. He totaled 124 ML games with the Angels (2014) and Mariners (2015-16) playing six different defensive positions with a .231 batting average and .315 on-base percentage. In two different stints with the Travs he played in 19 total games, 11 in 2014 and eight in 2017. He began his pro career as a fifth round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays out of high school in 2006.
Michael Peoples takes over as the Pitching Coach for Arkansas. Peoples just retired from a playing career that saw him pitch the past three seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan for the Yokohama DeNA Baystars. Prior to that he was in the Cleveland minor league system from 2012-2019 including being named the organization's Pitcher of the Year in 2016. He reached as high as the Triple-A level. A 14th round draft pick by Cleveland in 2012 out of Western Oklahoma State, Peoples is a native of Weatherford, Texas.
Jose Umbria joins the Travelers coaching staff as the assistant hitting coach and catching coach. Umbria will be in his 13th season as a coach in the Mariners system, most recently spending two seasons as the bench coach for High-A Everett. In 2019 he was the hitting coach for the High-A affiliate and in 2018 held the same role for the Low-A affiliate. He was honored by the Mariners as the Dave Henderson Minor League Staff Member of the Year in 2018. Since joining Seattle in 2010, he has coached at six different minor league affiliates. Umbria signed with Toronto as an international free agent in 1995 and played as a catcher in Blue Jays system from 1996-2005 reaching as high as Triple-A. His playing career concluded with two season in independent ball. He is a native of Barquisimeto, Venezuela.
Brennan Mickelson is the new strength and conditioning coach for Arkansas. This will be his fifth year in the Mariners organization. He spent the past two years with High-A Everett. Mickelson owns degrees from Washington State University and the University of Montana.
Amanda Lee returns for her third season as head athletic trainer. 2023 is her fifh season in the Mariners organization. Lee was the athletic trainer for the Mariners short-season club in 2019 and worked at the Dodgers Arizona training facility in 2018. She also worked as an athletic training intern with the Tulsa Drillers in 2017 upon finishing college. A native of the Tulsa area, Lee hails from Glenpool, Oklahoma. She will be assisted by Andy Turner who joins the Mariners organization this year. Turner served as an athletic training associate in the Philadelphia Phillies organization last summer while completing his Master’s degree.
Founded in 1901, the Arkansas Travelers are the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners and call Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock home. For all the latest information with the club and events at the ballpark, log on to travs.com or follow the Travelers on Facebook (Arkansas Travelers), Instagram (@artravs) and Twitter (@artravs). The 2023 Travs season begins on Thursday April 6 with the home opener is set for Tuesday April 11. Dickey-Stephens Park is now a cashless facility and the Travelers have a clear bag policy for all events.
Know Before You Go - Razorbacks vs. Tigers
Tuesday's game versus Grambling State University is SOLD OUT Stadium Map: Click HERE for PDF - Gates Open at 4:00 PM; First Pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM. - Every person (all ages) must have a ticket to get into the gates. - CHI St. Vincent Field at Dickey-Stephens Park
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Jordyn Wieber to Appear at Travs Faith and Family Night
The Arkansas Travelers are excited to announce that Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber will be the honored guest at the annual Faith and Family Night on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at CHI St. Vincent Field at Dickey-Stephens Park. Wieber, who currently serves as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks
Tickets for Hogs Game Go On Sale February 25
Tickets for the Arkansas Razorbacks game at CHI St. Vincent Field at Dickey-Stephens Park will be made available to the general public on Tuesday, February 25, at 10:00 a.m. via online purchase at Travs.com. The Diamond Hogs are scheduled to host Grambling State University at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April
Travs to Honor “Little Rock Nine” in 2025
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2025 Travs Coaching Staff Revealed
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Field at DSP to be Named for CHI St. Vincent
The Arkansas Travelers are proud to announce the first ever field naming rights agreement with CHI St. Vincent at Dickey-Stephens Park. All Travs home games will now take place at CHI St. Vincent Field at Dickey-Stephens Park. The name change goes into effect for the upcoming 2025 season and will
Razorbacks to Play Annual Contest at DSP
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Travs Announce Home Start Times for 2025
The Arkansas Travelers announced start times for their 2025 home games today. Opening Night at Dickey-Stephens Park is set for Tuesday, April 8, and will have a 6:05 p.m. first pitch. The full game schedule was released in July. Standard home game times for 2025 are similar to the past
2024 TEXAS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Box Score North Little Rock, AR—Alberto Rodriguez hit a walk-off single with one out in the ninth inning making the Arkansas Travelers the Texas League Champions for 2024 with a 5-4 win over the Midland RockHounds in front of a raucous crowd of 5,661 at Dickey-Stephens Park. The Travelers won
Travs Force Decisive Game for TL Title
Box Score North Little Rock, AR—The Arkansas Travelers forced a decisive third game in the Texas League Championship Series with a 3-1 win over the Midland RockHounds on Tuesday night. The win evens the series with the title to be decided on Wednesday. The Travs never trailed in the game
Troy Taylor Named TL Postseason All-Star
Travelers right-handed pitcher Troy Taylor was selected as a Texas League Postseason All-Star for 2024 as announced today by Minor League Baseball. Taylor was promoted to Arkansas in May and was a dominant closer for the Travs before jumping straight to Seattle in late August. He has been with the
Arkansas Drops Game 1 of Title Series to Midland
Box Score Midland, TX—The Midland RockHounds rallied past the Arkansas Travelers for a 10-8 victory in game one of the Texas League Championship Series. The Travs scored five times in the first two innings building a four-run lead but the RockHound offense would not be denied. Midland scored in seven
Travs Return To Texas League Championship Series
Box Score Springfield, MO—Victor Labrada homered twice and Cole Young went deep as well among three extra base hits and the Arkansas Travelers punched their ticket to the Texas League Championship Series with a 6-5 win over the Springfield Cardinals. The Travelers saw a five-run lead disappear when the Cardinals
Travs Ride Massive Fifth Inning To Force Decisive Game
Box Score Springfield, MO—An eight-run fifth inning paved the way for the Arkansas Travelers to force a winner take all game for the Texas League North Division Championship as they defeated the Springfield Cardinals, 9-6 on Thursday night. The Travs sent 13 batters to the plate in the pivotal inning
Arkansas Falls In Playoff Opener
Box Score North Little Rock, AR—The Arkansas Travelers dropped the first game of the Texas League North Division series, 4-1, to the Springfield Cardinals on Tuesday night. The teams had numerous scoring opportunities but combined to leave 20 runners on base. Three times, the Travs had the bases loaded with
Final 2024 TL Pitcher of the Week Honor Goes to Michael Morales
Arkansas Travelers pitcher Michael Morales was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for September 9-15 it was announced today by Minor League Baseball. Morales tossed six shutout innings last Thursday at Northwest Arkansas surrendering only two hits with four strikeouts. He earned the win in the team’s 13th shutout
2025 Travelers Home Schedule Announced
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Travs Finish Off Regular Season With Victory
Box Score Springdale, AR—The Arkansas Travelers closed out the regular season with a 4-1 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Sunday afternoon. Brock Rodden connected on a three-run double in the first inning and the Travs led the rest of the way. Arkansas used eight pitchers on the day
Travs Bang Way To Series Win
Box Score Springdale, AR—The Arkansas offense banged out 10 runs on 15 hits and the bullpen authored six scoreless innings as the Travelers defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 10-5 on Saturday night. Alberto Rodriguez led the offensive onslaught with a three hit game including a tie breaking double in the
Win Streak Halted At 5
Box Score Springdale, AR—The Arkansas Travelers nearly rallied from five runs down but fell just short in a 7-6 decision to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Friday night. The Travs trailed by four runs early and by five as late as the seventh inning but scored four times from the
Travs Spin Two-Hit Shutout Of Naturals
Box Score Springdale, AR—Michael Morales, Jimmy Joyce and Peyton Alford combined on a two-hit shutout as the Arkansas Travelers blanked the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 3-0 on Thursday night. It was the 13th shutout win of the season for the Travs. Morales earned his fourth win of the season and Alford
Travs Rock Naturals To Continue Roll
Box Score Springdale, AR—Juan Mercedes delivered another quality start and the Arkansas Travelers rolled to a 9-2 victory over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Wednesday night. The Travs offense broke free in the middle innings and scored nine unanswered runs to close out the game. Mercedes struck out seven over
Travs Outslug Naturals In Series Opener
Box Score Springdale, AR—The Arkansas Travelers won a wild game over their in-state rival Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 15-11 on Tuesday night. Two different three-run leads for the Travs disappeared before they built an eight run advantage over the final two innings only to see the game end after the Naturals
Travs Duo Sweeps Weekly Texas League Awards
Two Arkansas Travelers, pitcher Juan Mercedes and outfielder Jared Oliva, were named Texas League Pitcher of the Week and Player of the Week respectively for September 2-8. The duo helped the Travs clinch a bid to the Texas League postseason over the weekend while taking five wins in six games