MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing announce new hitting coach

Published on February 1, 2005 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The St. Louis Cardinals have announced that former major leaguer Keith Mitchell will join the Swing of the Quad Cities as hitting coach in their first season as affiliates. Mitchell replaces former major leaguer Derrick May, who will instead coach for the Class A-Advanced Palm Beach Cardinals.

Mitchell joins a Swing coaching staff that will be led by manager Joe Cunningham. In addition, Bryan Eversgerd will serve as the Swing's pitching coach, and Brian Pulchalski will be the Swing's trainer in 2005.

The Swing assignment will be Mitchell's first coaching position with a major league affiliate. After retiring from professional baseball following the 2003 season, Mitchell worked at baseball clinics in the Indianapolis area in 2004.

The 35-year-old Mitchell had an 18-year professional baseball career, peaking with parts of four seasons in the major leagues between 1991 and 1998. Originally a fourth-round selection of the Atlanta Braves in the 1987 draft, Mitchell batted .318 in 48 games for Atlanta in his big league debut in 1991. He also played in five games in the National League Championship Series, helping Atlanta to the World Series, where they were defeated in seven games by the Minnesota Twins.

Mitchell also saw major league action for Seattle (1994), Cincinnati (1996) and Boston (1998). Over a 128-game major league career, he batted .260 with eight home runs and 29 RBI.

A well-traveled baseball veteran, Mitchell played in 16 separate minor leagues at every classification during his professional career. He batted .261 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI for Burlington in the Midwest League in 1989. Mitchell earned a spot on the Double-A Southern League All-Star team after batting .327 for the Greenville Braves in 1991, the same year he would later make his major league career. Mitchell closed out his professional career by batting .260 in 27 games with independent Sioux Falls of the Northern League in 2003. Overall, he batted .274 in 1491 minor league games.

Mitchell joins the Swing as part of a trickle-down effect that began when Tom Nieto was hired onto Willie Randolph's staff with the New York Mets. Nieto was initially assigned as the Palm Beach manager, but will be replaced by Ron Warner. Derrick May moved into the Palm Beach hitting position initially occupied by Warner, opening the void for Mitchell.

ABOUT THE SWING: The Swing of the Quad will begin their first season as an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals on April 7, 2005. Season ticket packages and mini plans are currently available by calling the Swing at (563) 328-2000. The 2005 home opener is scheduled for Friday, April 15, against the Clinton LumberKings. For the latest information on the Swing of the Quad Cities, head to their website, www.swingbaseball.com.

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