Fireflies Announce 2025 Field Staff
January 17, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia, SC - The Columbia Fireflies, in conjunction with the Kansas City Royals, announced their 2025 Field Staff today. David Noworyta replaces Jesus Azuaje at the helm of the club this season. Noworyta is the sixth manager in Fireflies history and is joined by a host of new faces on the staff.
Noworyta was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. The catcher didn't sign, but instead attended the University of Hawaii, where he caught for three seasons, playing in 22 games and clubbing .273. Next, the Detroit Tigers signed the righty as an undrafted free agent. He played within the Tigers organization until 2020. After a brief stint in Independent Baseball with the Billings Mustangs in 2021, he went to the coaching ranks. Noworyta served as the Quad Cities River Bandits Assistant Hitting Coach in 2022. He was the Bench Coach of the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2023 and last season he was the Chasers Assistant Hitting Coach.
Julio Pimentel and Taylor Bloye both join the Fireflies coaching staff, splitting the pitching coach duties. Pimentel has coached on the Royals farm since 2018, when he was the pitching coach of the Dominican Summer League Royals and served as a pitching coach for the Arizona Complex League Royals since 2021.
Bloye signed on to pitch for the Royals during the 2021 season and worked 14.2 innings over eight games with the Fireflies. Later, he returned to the Soda City as an Assistant Pitching Coach in 2023 under the tutelage of John Habyan. In 2024 he manned the same role under Derrick Lewis in Quad Cities.
Ramon Castro is the Fireflies 2025 hitting coach. Castro has been with the Royals organization since 2015 when he was a coach with the Idaho Falls Chukars and has served as the hitting coach of the AZL/ACL Royals since 2018. The former catcher helped Venezuela win bronze at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games.
Tripp Keister joins Noworyta in Columbia after the two spent the season together during the 2024 season with the Omaha Storm Chasers. Keister started his coaching career as an Assistant Coach at the University of South Carolina from 1996-98. He then became the Head Coach at Delaware State University for a pair of seasons before joining the pro ranks as a scout for the San Diego Padres. After a five-year stint as the Head Coach of Wesley College ended in 2011, Keister began work with the Washington Nationals as the Gulf Coast League Nationals Manager in 2012. He worked at three levels with the Nationals until 2022 when he was the Manager of the Harrisburg Senators.
Athletic Trainer Kazuma Fukuzumi and Clubhouse Coordinator Joey Zito will both return to the Fireflies support staff in 2024. The team will also welcome Strength and Conditioning Coach Bryce Hall, PD Trainee Joe Manno and Nutrition Fellow Anna Claire Miskelly to the fold in 2024.
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