Yard Goats Announce Entire 2026 Coaching Staff
EL Hartford Yard Goats

Yard Goats Announce Entire 2026 Coaching Staff

Published on February 17, 2026 under Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release


(Hartford, CT) The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club, the Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, announced its entire coaching staff for the 2026 season. The Rockies have assigned three coaches to join first-year Yard Goats manager Robinson Cancel (pronounced: can-SELL) in Hartford. Cancel will be joined by new pitching coach Jerry Sullivan, new bench coach and former Major League outfielder and Rock Cats player Michael Ryan, and returning hitting coach Zach Osborne. Justin Wilson joins the Yard Goats for the first time and will serve as athletic trainer. The Yard Goats coaches and players are employees of the Colorado Rockies.

Robinson Cancel played 27 games for the New York Mets in 2008, going 12-49 (.245) with two doubles, one home run and 5 RBI, and the Mets went 16-11 in the games he played. This is Cancel's 10th season as a coach in the Rockies organization and his first at the Double-A level. He was promoted to manage the High-A Spokane Indians in 2023, following playoff berths with the Single-A Fresno Grizzlies in both 2021 and 2022. Cancel previously served as a coach with Short-Season Boise in 2017, his first year with the Rockies, and also spent two seasons in the Atlanta Braves organization as the manager of Rookie-Level Danville (2016) and the Gulf Coast League Braves (2015). Cancel was drafted by Milwaukee in 1994 and played 45 Major League games over parts of four seasons between 1999-2011.

"We are excited to welcome Michael, Jerry and Justin to Hartford, and to have Zach return to our Yard Goats family as part of Robinson's staff," Yard Goats General Manager Mike Abramson said. "This coaching staff has tons of experience, and we look forward to watching them work with our players and be part of our community."

Single game tickets for all Yard Goats home games are now on sale. Season tickets, group tickets, and hospitality suites are also available. The Yard Goats open the 2026 season on Thursday, April 2nd (7:10 PM) against the Baltimore Orioles affiliate, the Chesapeake Baysox at Dunkin' Park. Fans may purchase tickets on the Yard Goats website yardgoatsbaseball.com, or over the phone at 860-246-4628, and tickets will be delivered digitally. Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets in person at the Click It or Ticket Box Office at Dunkin' Park.

2026 Hartford Yard Goats Coaching Staff

Michael Ryan-Bench Coach

Michael Ryan, 48, begins his first season with the Yard Goats as Bench Coach after serving the same role with Triple-A Albuquerque the past two seasons. Ryan, a former outfielder, played for the New Britain Rock Cats in 2000, and led the club in hits (133) and RBI (69), ranked second in home runs (11), and third in runs (64), and doubles (23). This is his 14th season as a coach in professional baseball and his third with the Colorado Rockies organization. He spent the 2022-2023 season managing the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in the Chicago Cubs organization and Single-A South Bend in 2021. Prior to that, he spent three seasons managing Double-A Altoona in the Pirates system (2017-19), and won an Eastern League Championship in 2017. Ryan also managed Single-A Bradenton (2015-16) and Single-A West Virginia (2013-14). He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the fifth round in 1996 out of Indiana Area High School (PA), and he played five Major League seasons with Minnesota (2002-05) and the Los Angeles Angels (2010).

Zach Osborne- Hitting Coach

Osborne, 35, begins his third season as hitting coach at Hartford, eighth as a coach in the Rockies system, and is the first former Yard Goats player to return as a coach. He was part of the Yard Goats coaching to lead the club to its first ever playoff series in 2024. He played in 64 games on the Inaugural Yard Goats club in 2016, his final season in MiLB, and reached Triple-A Albuquerque in 2015. After retiring as a player, Osborne became a hitting coach in the Rockies system and was assigned to the Rookie level Grand Junction Rockies for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The Rockies promoted him to Class-A Spokane in 2021, and he spent the next three seasons as the Indians Hitting Coach in the Northwest League. The Louisville, Kentucky native played in college at the University of Tennessee, and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, while earning the starting shortstop job. He batted .330 during his junior season, and had a stretch of 148 consecutive starts before getting sidelined with an injury. Zach led his Louisville Little League team to the LL World Series Title in Williamsport (2002) and was named MVP on a team that was coached by his father.

Jerry Sullivan- Pitching Coach

Jerry Sullivan, 38, begins his first season as Yard Goats pitching coach after serving as pitching coach Single-A Fresno last season. This is his second full season with the Rockies after joining the organization in July of 2024. He previously was the pitching coach for the Joliet Slammers in 2024. following an eight-year playing career with the Padres organization (2009-15) and independent Sugar Land (2016). Sullivan pitched to a 22-26 record with a 4.50 ERA (490.1 IP, 245 ER) through 208 Minor League games (66 starts).

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