Jupiter Hammerheads Announce 2024 Coaching Staff
After helping the Jupiter Hammerheads make history last season, Nelson Prada will return as the Manager for the 2024 Florida State League campaign. In his first season at the helm, the Jupiter Hammerheads finished with a 72-60 overall record and ultimately won their first FSL Championship in team history. This
After helping the Jupiter Hammerheads make history last season, Nelson Prada will return as the Manager for the 2024 Florida State League campaign. In his first season at the helm, the Jupiter Hammerheads finished with a 72-60 overall record and ultimately won their first FSL Championship in team history.
This will be Prada’s fourth season within the Marlins farm system. The Venezuelan native started with the organization in 2021 for the DSL Marlins.
Before the Marlins, Prada started his coaching career within the Minnesota Twins organization, the same franchise he played for from 1995-1998. His first coaching experience came as the hitting coach with the GCL Twins in 2005. Prada worked his way through the coaching ranks before becoming manager of the now Marlins High-A affiliate Beloit Sky Carp (then Snappers) from 2008 to 2012.
Following his nearly 10-year stint with the Twins, Prada moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Starting in the FSL with the Clearwater Threshers, Prada eventually moved on to the South Atlantic League with the former Lakewood BlueClaws in various roles. In 2019, Prada began to work alongside the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils and was expected to return in 2020 if it weren’t for the pandemic.
Beyond affiliated baseball, Prada also managed the Spanish national team in the 2021 European Championship. Spain went undefeated in their group and eventually earned third place in the international tournament. Prada also had a role with the national team during the 2022 World Baseball qualifiers that took place in Regensburg, Germany.
Prada has experience both as a player and a coach in the Florida State League. The former catcher played 41 games with the Fort Myers Miracle in 1998. He also managed the Threshers in 2014, and most recently reached the pinnacle of the FSL with the Hammerheads in 2023.
Prada will be accompanied by a couple of familiar faces for the upcoming season. Hitting Coach Ty Hawkins, and Pitching Coach Glenn Dishman will return to the Hammerheads in their same roles as 2023.
This will be Ty Hawkins' fourth season in Jupiter. The Old Dominion graduate spent over 20 years coaching within the New York Yankees organization before joining the Marlins in 2021. Before coaching in affiliated baseball, Hawkins coached college baseball with Vanderbilt University and the University of Illinois.
Glenn Dishman will once again serve as the Pitching Coach. The Maryland native joined the Hammerheads and Marlins organization before the 2022 season. Before the Hammerheads, the former MLB pitcher held coaching roles within the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers farm systems. Before coaching, Dishman pitched professionally for 11 seasons after signing with the San Diego Padres out of Texas Christian University (TCU). The southpaw appeared in 33 total games for the Padres, Phillies, and Detroit Tigers after making his big-league debut in 1995.
Gianni Bloom, who will serve as the club’s Defensive Coach for the 2024 season, is new to the Hammerheads and the Marlins system. The former University of California Santa Barbara catcher worked as the Director of Player Development for the university's baseball program following his 2022 senior season.
Rounding out the 2024 field staff will be Jeremiah Cothiere, Tyler Lough, Wesley Bergin, Everett Cicciarelli, and Casey Larkin.
Cothiere returns to the Hammerheads as the Strength and Conditioning coach, the same role he held in 2023. The former Palm Beach Atlantic University pitcher and Boynton Beach native is no stranger to baseball in South Florida.
Tyler Lough will be the Hammerheads' Athletic Trainer for the upcoming season. The Kansas State alum comes to the Marlins after working for the Boston Red Sox the last two seasons, for both their Dominican League and Rookie League teams.
Wesley Bergin will work as the Video Manager for the Hammerheads. Everett Cicciarelli will be the PD Analyst Fellow for the 2024 FSL season. Casey Larkin will return for his fourth season as the Hammerheads’ Clubhouse Manager. The South Florida native has worked at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium for over 10 years.
Jupiter will begin their quest to repeat on Friday, April 5th against the Palm Beach Cardinals as the road team. The Hammerheads will play their first home game on Tuesday, April 9th. Tickets for the 2024 Florida State League season are on sale now. Click here for more information regarding tickets and season-long packages.