(Editor's note: Mustangs release)
BILLINGS – The Billings Mustangs on Wednesday announced their 2022 coaching line-up.
Assisting field manager Jim Riggleman will be adding pitching coach Dan Radison and hitting coach Mike Toomey. Both Radison and Toomey have significant coaching experience.
Dan Radison has coached at every level, including 10 years in Major League Baseball and 25 years in Minor League Baseball. Dan has also coached winter ball clubs in Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Australia. He has coached for the Mets, Cardinals, Yankees, Padres, Nationals, Cubs, Astros, and Orioles, and has scouted for the Yankees. Dan attended Southern Illinois University and was College World Series all- tournament shortstop in 1971 and the National RBI leader in 1972. Originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals as a catcher, he reached the AAA level as a player before moving into coaching. Radison’s teaching methods run the gamut from in-depth personal instruction to utilizing the latest technologies and integrating biofeedback into coaching.
“I am super excited to be joining Jim Riggleman's coaching staff with the Billings Mustangs,” Radison said. “The Mustangs have a long-standing commitment to player development – and great community support. It’s an honor to follow the many players and coaches who started their careers with the Mustangs.”
Mike Toomey has spent more than 40 years in professional baseball and is one of the most respected scouts in the game. He has worked with MLB clubs in Cleveland, San Francisco, Texas, New York (the Mets), Montreal, Washington, and, most recently, Kansas City, where he has served as Special Assistant to the General Manager since 2006. Toomey also has scouted internationally, including Japan, Korea, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Canada, Colombia, Italy, and Venezuela.
Toomey began his career in Major League Baseball working in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization as a minor league manager in 1980. Prior to that, he was the head coach at George Washington University from 1975-79, where he led the Colonials to three-straight NCAA postseason appearances. He has been inducted into the Montgomery Junior College Hall of Fame, the George Washington Hall of Fame, the Mid-Atlantic Scouts Hall of Fame, and Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame.
“I’ve heard great things about Dehler Park and Billings; I could not be more eager to come to Billings and start working with the team’s young players,” said Toomey. “I’ve spent most of my life scouting and developing players and am so excited about the opportunity to work with Jim Riggleman and help develop the next generation of major league talent to come out of Billings.”
“Dan Radison and Mike Toomey are two of the most respected people in the game,” said team owner Dave Heller. “They are smart, serious, experienced people who have each spent their entire adult lives in the game of baseball. When they speak to young hitters and young pitchers, their vast experience and knowledge of emerging technologies will carry a lot of weight. Last year, we sold more players to MLB clubs than any two Pioneer League teams combined. With Dan and Mike on board, I’m confident we’ll continue to serve as a pipeline for future MLB players.”
The Mustangs kick off their second season as an MLB “Partner League” club on Wednesday, May 25th, in Missoula against the Paddleheads. The Mustangs open at home at Dehler Park on Saturday night, May 28th, against one of the league’s two new teams, the Northern Colorado Owlz. The season’s first homestand continues through the Memorial Day weekend, as the Mustangs host the Owlz for three games, concluding with an afternoon game on Memorial Day Monday, May 30th, when all veterans, reservists, guardsmen, and active-duty military will be able to attend for just $1.00. Please visit billingsmustangs.com and follow the Mustangs on social media for ticket information, team news and more.
