The Daytona Tortugas and the Cincinnati Reds have announced the 2025 coaching staff for the Tortugas. The club will be led by manager Willie Harris. Pitching coach Jason Immekus will help the pitching staff in 2025. They will be joined by hitting coach Jose Leon. Two other coaches are on the staff and are currently just listed as “coach” – Lenny Harris and Osmin Melendez.
Willie Harris is returning to minor league baseball for the first time since 2020 when he was the Reds outfield and baserunning coordinator. After that he joined the Chicago Cubs as a coach on their major league staff where he also served as their third base coach.
As a minor league manager, Harris managed in 2017-2019 for both the Chicago White Sox farm system and the San Francisco Giants farm system. He went 56-84, 62-76, and 55-84 in those three seasons as a manager. The now 46-year-old spent parts of 12 seasons as a player in the big leagues for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta, the Washington Nationals, New York Mets, and the Cincinnati Reds. He spent time playing in the infield and outfield during his career.
Jason Immekus is in his first year with the Reds organization. He had previously worked as a scout for both the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays, and was also a pitching coach at Crowder College, Jefferson College, Missouri Southern State University, and Pittsburgh State University before becoming an assistant coach at Crowder College. Immekus pitched in college for Independence Community College and Washburn University before pitching in three Frontier League seasons from 2000-2002.
Jose Leon is now in his 4th season as a coach in the Reds organization, but his first as the Daytona hitting coach. Last season he served as the hitting coach with the Dayton Dragons and prior to that spent a year in the Dominican Summer League and the Arizona Complex League. Before joining the Reds he worked in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
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.
Lenny Harris is returning to Daytona for the fourth year in a row, and his fifth year overall. He will be entering year nine with the Reds organization. Prior to joining Cincinnati as a coach he worked for the Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals in a variety of coaching roles. As a player he spent parts of 18 seasons in Major League Baseball – including seven years with the Reds.
Osmin Melendez is also returning to Daytona as this will be his second year in a row on the their coaching staff after serving as a coach with Dayton in 2023 – his first year with the Reds organization. Prior to joining the Reds he worked in player development for both the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates in a variety of roles. As a player he spent two years in the Baltimore Orioles farm system.