January 14, 2025 – Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Reno Aces News Release
RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces will have a new skipper in the dugout at Greater Nevada Field for the 2025 season. Jeff Gardner was named the club’s eighth manager in franchise history, as announced by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
Gardner replaces Blake Lalli, who managed the Aces for three of the past four seasons and tallied a 237-186 record while leading the BLC-Nine.
“We are excited to welcome Jeff Gardner as the eighth manager in the history of the Reno Aces franchise. His extensive experience and enthusiasm for the game will endear him to our fans as he upholds our tradition of excellence at Greater Nevada Field,” said Reno Aces President Eric Edelstein. “This coaching staff is ready to continue our championship caliber history and make the 2025 season an unforgettable experience in Aces history.”
The Aces have retained the core of last year’s coaching staff, which saw the team reach the Pacific Coast League postseason for the second time in the past three years. Pitching Coach Jeff Bajenaru, Pitching Coach Doug Drabek, and Bench Coach Shawn Roof are returning.
The newest additions to the Reno Aces’ coaching staff are Hitting Coach Terrmel Sledge and Coach Jaime Del Valle.
Paul Porter will be Reno’s athletic trainer for his second straight season. He will be joined by Assistant Trainer Connor Oates and Strength and Conditioning Coach Ryan Harrel, who, following their promotion from Double-A Amarillo, enter their first seasons as members of the team’s support staff.
Jeff Gardner – Manager
The 2025 season marks Gardner’s first as a manager within the Diamondbacks organization as he enters his 12th working within Arizona’s system. For the previous three years (2022-24), he was Arizona’s Quality Control Coordinator and, before that, was an Advanced Scout from 2014-21. Before joining the Diamondbacks, he had a 13-year career (1993-2005) as an Advanced Scout and Minor League Manager within the San Diego Padres system. From 2001-03, he managed Short-Season Eugene and Class-A Lake Elsinore. Selected by the Houston Astros in 1984, Gardner signed with the New York Mets and played four seasons as an infielder in Major League Baseball with the Mets, San Diego Padres, and Montreal Expos.
Jeff Bajenaru – Pitching Coach
Bajenaru, who begins his 15th season within Arizona’s system, will oversee the Aces’ arms as one of the club’s pitching coaches for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. During his…
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