Yard Goats to Have New Manager for Upcoming Season
EL Hartford Yard Goats

Yard Goats to Have New Manager for Upcoming Season

Published on February 3, 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, will have a new manager for the 2026 season. The Rockies have promoted former Major League catcher Robinson Cancel (pronounced: kahn-SEHL) to manage the Yard Goats after managing Class-A Spokane the past three seasons. The Lajas, Puerto Rico native led his team to the Northwest League Championship in 2024. Cancel, 49, who played for the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets and Houston Astros, becomes the sixth manager in franchise history and replaces Bobby Meacham who guided the Yard Goats in 2024 and 2025. Robinson Cancel will be introduced in a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday, February 4th) at 2:00 PM at Dunkin' Park, and will take part in the Season Preview Party at 6pm in the Liberty Bank YG Club. All media is welcome to cover both events.

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 in 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 from 1999-2011.

"We are delighted to welcome Robinson to Hartford, and our Yard Goats family," Yard Goats General Manager Mike Abramson said. "Robinson has an excellent track record of winning and development, and we are excited to watch him and his coaches guide our club in 2026."

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. Season tickets, luxury suites, group tickets and hospitality options are currently available. Single Game Tickets for all home games will go on sale on Thursday, February 5th at 10:00 AM. For ticket information please call 860-246-GOAT or visit www.yardgoatsbaseball.com.

Check out the Hartford Yard Goats Statistics

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



Eastern League Stories from February 3, 2026


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