Former Charleston Catchers Leading Top Two American League Teams into MLB Playoffs
AtL Charleston Dirty Birds

Former Charleston Catchers Leading Top Two American League Teams into MLB Playoffs

Published on October 2, 2025 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Charleston, WV - The managers of the top two teams in the American League playoff bracket have connections to professional baseball in Charleston, both as former catchers for teams that played at Watt Powell Park.

John Schneider led the Toronto Blue Jays to AL East Division crown and top seed for the playoffs. He was a catcher for the Charleston Alley Cats in 2003 for 56 games after being drafted by the Blue Jays in 2002 out of the University of Delaware. He was one of four catchers for the 2003 Alley Cats and hit only .195, but his understanding of baseball earned him a late-season promotion to Triple-A to fill a need at Syracuse down the stretch.

Schneider has been pretty much a lifer in the Blue Jays organization ever since, transitioned to coaching ranks in 2008 and climbed through the Toronto system to become the major league manager in July 2022. This year's AL East title is the team's first one since 2015, and Schneider also led the Blue Jays into wild card berths in both 2022 and 2023.

In his first full season as the Seattle Mariners' manager, former Charleston Wheeler Dan Wilson led his team to its first AL West Division title since 2001 and the second seed in the AL playoff bracket. After being drafted in the first round by the Cincinnati Reds in 1990, he made his professional debut for the Charleston Wheelers and helped lead the team to the South Atlantic League championship as the team's starting catcher. He returned to Charleston for 52 games in 1991 and was promoted to Double-A with a .315 batting average and .994 fielding average.

Wilson made his Major League debut in 1992 with the Reds, was traded to the Mariners after the 1993 season and was Seattle's primary catcher for the next seven seasons, including three straight playoff teams from 2000-2002. He posted an astronomical .999 fielding percentage as the catcher for the Mariner's last division championship team in 2001 and played in a total of 1,281 Major League games through 2005.

Wilson was named the team's manager in August 2024 after 11 years working in their system in the front office and coaching ranks. He returned to Charleston briefly in 2019 to check on two of Seattle's rising stars on the West Virginia Power that year who are now playing for him in Seattle: star outfielder Julio Rodriguez and starting pitcher Logan Gilbert.

Rosters of other teams in the 2025 MLB post-season include additional connections with professional baseball in Charleston:

Chicago Cubs: Jameson Taillon, pitcher - 2011 West Virginia Power; Reese McGuire, catcher - 2014 West Virginia Power;

Cincinnati Reds: Ke'Bryan Hayes, third baseman - 2016 West Virginia Power; Brad Mills, bench coach - 1988 Charleston Wheelers manager;

LA Dodgers: Tyler Glasnow, pitcher - 2013 West Virginia Power;

Milwaukee Brewers: Chris Hook, pitching coach - 1990 and 1991 Charleston Wheelers pitcher; Nestor Corredor, field coordinator - 2005 and 2006 West Virginia Power; and

San Diego Padres: Elias Diaz, catcher - 2011 and 2012 West Virginia Power.

Check out the Charleston Dirty Birds Statistics

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



Atlantic League Stories from October 2, 2025


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