Arizona Diamondbacks Announce Reno Aces' 2026 Coaching Staff
PCL Reno Aces

Arizona Diamondbacks Announce Reno Aces' 2026 Coaching Staff

Published on January 23, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Reno Aces News Release


RENO, Nev. - The Reno Aces and Arizona Diamondbacks have announced the club's coaching staff for the 2026 Pacific Coast League season. After being named the eighth manager in Reno's history last season, Jeff Gardner will return for his second season at the helm of the BLC-Nine.

Additionally, the Aces have retained most of last year's coaching staff with the return of pitching coaches Jeff Bajenaru and Doug Drabek, bench coach Shawn Roof, and hitting coach Terrmel Sledge on Gardner's staff. The newest addition is Jordan Procyshen who will also serve as a bench coach.

"We are excited to welcome Jeff and the majority of last year's staff back for another season in Reno," said Reno Aces President Eric Edelstein. "Last year saw eight Aces make their MLB debuts with this group of coaches, and we can't wait to see how many of our players will take that next step as the Aces return to a championship caliber team in 2026."

Connor Oates returns as the team's athletic trainer with new assistant ATC Adam Brewer and strength and conditioning coach Wacy Crenshaw joining for their first seasons in Reno.

Jeff Gardner - Manager The 2026 season will be Gardner's second season managing the Aces, and 13th working within the Diamondbacks organization. Prior to coming to Reno, he was Arizona's Quality Control Coordinator for three years and an Advanced Scout in the organization for eight years. He also spent 13 years in the San Diego Padres system as an Advanced Scout and Minor League Manager. Selected by the Houston Astros in 1984, Gardner ultimately debuted with the New York Mets and totaled four seasons in the big leagues.

Jeff Bajenaru - Pitching Coach Bajenaru will be in his 15th season in Arizona's system, and sixth season overall as Reno's pitching coach. He first coached the BLC-Nine in 2019 and has been a part of the staff for six of the last seven seasons. Bajenaru was originally drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 1998 but opted to play a season at the University of Oklahoma instead. Following that season, he was drafted by the Chicago White Sox with whom he made his MLB debut with in 2004 and won a World Series with in 2005.

Doug Drabek - Pitching Coach Drabek enters his fifth season on Reno's coaching staff, and 16th season overall in the D-backs organization. Across his 16 years in the system, he has made stops in Amarillo, Jackson, Mobile, Hillsboro, Visalia, and Yakima. One of the strongest former player resumes in the organization, Drabek played 13 seasons in the big leagues and won the 1990 National League Cy Young and finished top five in the award's voting in two other seasons.

Shawn Roof - Bench Coach Roof returns for his third season as the Aces' bench coach, and ninth within Arizona's system. Prior to Reno, he was the Double-A Manager in Amarillo, leading the Sod Poodles to a 2023 Texas League Championship. In his coaching career, he has won a pair of Manager of the Year Awards (2018 Northwest League and 2019 California League) and won a total of 155 games as a Minor League Manager. A 2007 MLB Draft selection, Roof played six years within the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins organizations.

Terrmel Sledge - Hitting Coach Sledge, like Gardner, returns for his second season in the Biggest Little City and third overall in the Diamondbacks organization. Prior to joining Arizona's system, he served as an assistant hitting coach with the Chicago Cubs for three seasons. Sledge was an eighth-round selection in the 1999 MLB Draft and spent parts of four seasons with the Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres.

Jordan Procyshen - Bench Coach Procyshen will be the newest member of the Aces coaching staff going into the 2026 season, and second within the Arizona system. Last year, he served as the bench coach for Double-A Amarillo, helping the Sod Poodles to the Texas League championship game. A 2014 MLB Draft selection by the Boston Red Sox, he spent nine seasons in the minor leagues from 2014-23. He also played internationally as a member of Team Canada in the 2019 Pan American Games where he won a silver medal.

The Reno Aces' 2026 home opener is set for Friday, March 27th, as they host the Tacoma Rainiers, Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Single-game and season tickets are currently on sale for the 2026 season. For more information, fans can visit RenoAces.com or call (775) 334-7000.

Check out the Reno Aces Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from January 23, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central