Jirschele Named White Sox Third Base Coach
(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- Justin Jirschele, who has managed the Charlotte Knights since the 2023 season, has been named the Chicago White Sox new third base coach for the remainder of this season. The announcement was made official by the Chicago White Sox earlier today as the team made several
(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) -- Justin Jirschele, who has managed the Charlotte Knights since the 2023 season, has been named the Chicago White Sox new third base coach for the remainder of this season. The announcement was made official by the Chicago White Sox earlier today as the team made several changes to its coaching staff, including the dismissal of manager, Pedro Grifol.
Charlotte Knights bench coach, Pat Listach, will take over as manager of the Knights beginning today. Listach and the Knights will continue a six-game series tonight at Louisville, KY against the Louisville Bats. The two teams will play game three of the series tonight at 6:35 p.m. from Louisville Slugger Field.
A native of Clintonville, WI, Jirschele is currently in his eighth season in Chicago’s organization and was in his second as manager of the Knights this year. Under his watch this season, the Knights have promoted 28 players to the White Sox and have put together a 17-16 record in the second half of the season.
Before taking over as manager of the Knights last season, Jirschele managed Double-A Birmingham for two seasons from 2021 to 2022. Prior to that time, Jirschele managed Winston-Salem (2019) and Kannapolis (2017-18). He guided Kannapolis to playoff appearances in each of his two seasons as manager. He made his coaching debut in 2016 as the hitting coach at Kannapolis.
As a player, Jirschele appeared in 184 games in the White Sox system from 2012-15, batting .277 (172-for-622). As an infielder, he appeared in 16 games with the Knights over parts of two seasons (14 in 2014 and two in 2015). A product of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Jirschele is a two-time Midwest Region Gold Glove winner and a two-time First-Team All-WIAC selection. From a baseball family, his dad, Mike, is currently the manager of the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. Mike was Kansas City’s third base coach during the team’s 2015 World Series Championship-winning season.
Listach is in his first season in Chicago’s system. He began the 2024 campaign as Charlotte’s bench coach after serving as bench coach for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies) last season. As a manager, the Natchitoches, LA native has managed several MiLB and Mexican League teams over parts of 10 seasons combined. He spent four seasons as manager of Triple-A Tacoma in the Seattle system from 2015-18. Prior to that, Listach managed three minor league teams in three consecutive seasons (2006-08), winning Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2008 with Triple-A Iowa. He made his MLB coaching debut the following season as Washington’s third-base coach (2009-10).
As a player, Listach appeared in 503 games at the major league level over parts of six seasons from 1992-97. Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft, Listach batted .290 with a team-high 54 stolen bases during his rookie season with Milwaukee in 1992. For his strong efforts that year, Listach was named the 1992 American League Rookie of the Year. He became the first Brewers player to swipe 50 bases in a single season. His 54 stolen bases ranked second in the American League that year behind Cleveland’s Kenny Lofton. In 2014, Listach was inducted into the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor.
The Knights will return home to Truist Field to open a six-game homestand against the Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers) on Tuesday, August 13. Tickets for all games on the six-game homestand, which runs through Sunday, August 18, are available now at www.CharlotteKnights.com.