Phillies Tab Chris
IL Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Phillies Tab Chris "Tank" Adamson as 7th Manager in IronPigs History

Published on April 28, 2026 under International League (IL)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs News Release


Allentown, Pennsylvania - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Phillies, have announced today that Chris "Tank" Adamson will take over as the 7th manager in IronPigs history.

Former IronPigs manager, Anthony Contreras, has been shifted to the Phillies Major League Staff where he will serve as third base coach. Contreras is the longest serving (5 season) and winningest (327 wins) manager in IronPigs history. Contreras ends his tenure as 'Pigs skipper with a record of 327-288, a .593 winning percentage, easily the highest for any manager in IronPigs history (minimum three seasons).

Adamson had been serving as bench coach with the IronPigs under Contreras for the past three seasons. Known as "Tank" to all, this is Adamson's sixth season in the Phillies organization as a coach. He was slated to manage the Jersey Shore BlueClaws in 2020 before the cancellation of the MiLB season before managing the team in 2021. He then skippered the FCL Phillies in 2022 and then returned to Jersey Shore in 2023 serving as bench coach. Born in Sydney, New South Wales Australia, Adamson played collegiately at Angelo State from 2008-2010 and then professionally for the Adelaide Bite of the Australian Baseball League from 2011-2015, totaling 123 games. He pulled double duty during his final two seasons as a catcher and bench coach for the club before he transitioned to fulltime bench coach during the 2016-2017 season. He was promoted to manager of the Bite (now Giants) in 2017-2018 and still retains that role through the 2025-2026 ABL season where Adelaide won their third championship in four seasons. Adamson has represented Australia on an international stage, serving as hitting coach for the club during the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Adamson's first game skippering the 'Pigs will take place tonight, April 28th, at 6:35 p.m. when the IronPigs take on the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse, New York.

Follow the IronPigs on Twitter at @IronPigs and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/LHVIronPigs.

The IronPigs are presented by Capital Blue Cross.

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