The Dayton Dragons have announced their 2024 coaching staff. Everyone on the coaching staff is new to Dayton for 2024, sort of. Vince Harrison Jr. will be the manager for the Dragons this season. He’ll be joined by pitching coach Brian Garman, hitting coach Jose Leon, and coach Jefry Sierra.
Vince Harrison Jr. will be managing in the Reds organization for the first time. In 2023 he was on the Louisville Bats coaching staff – his first year with the club. Prior to joining the organization, Harrison managed three years in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, and serving as a hitting coach for six years prior to that in both the Pirates and Diamondbacks organizations. As a manger he has gone 193-188 for Kane County and Hillsboro. As a player he was drafted out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati in the 30th round in 1998 by the Marlins but headed to the University of Kentucky where he played for three years before being drafted by Tampa Bay in the 13th round in 2001. He played affiliated ball from 2001-2007 for the Rays, Mets, and Marlins organizations before playing for various independent league teams from 2008-2011.
Brian Garman is returning to the Dragons as a pitching coach. He served in the role in both 2021 and 2022 before moving up to Double-A Chattanooga in 2023 where he served as the pitching coach. Prior to joining the Reds organization he was a pitching coach in the Los Angeles Angels farm system from 2018-2019. As a player he pitched for the University of Cincinnati before being drafted in the 17th round of 2010 by the Milwaukee Brewers. He spent 2010-2013 pitching in the Brewers farm system, reaching Double-A in his final two seasons.
Hitting Coach Jose Leon is taking another step up the chain, making his third stop in as many years in the Reds organization. In 2022 he served as the hitting coach for the Dominican Summer League Reds before taking the same role in 2023 with the Arizona Complex League Reds. Before he came into the Reds organization he was a hitting coach and manager with the St. Louis Cardinals organization at three different levels between 2018-2021. As a player he spent parts of three years in the big leagues with the Baltimore Orioles from 2002-2004. He played from 1994-2005 in affiliated minor league baseball, including a stint with the Louisville Bats in his final season. He would play professional in Mexico and China, as well as independent leagues and winter leagues through 2009.
Jefry Sierra, like Brian Garman, is returning to Dayton. Unlike Garman, Sierra was never a coach with the Dragons. Back in 2011 and 2012 Sierra was a player for the Dragons. 2024 will be the 10th season for Sierra as a coach. After his playing career ended he joined the Dominican Summer League Reds coaching staff and was with that team from 2015-2021. In 2022 he moved up to join the Daytona Tortugas and then to Chattanooga where he served as a coach for the Lookouts last season. As a player he was with the Reds organization from 2008-2014. In his final year he attempted to become a pitcher after being an outfielder and he posted a 3.00 ERA for Billings with 30 strikeouts in 27.0 innings that season.