Coco Crisp Named Scrappers Manager for 2021 Season

NILES, Ohio — Former professional baseball player Coco Crisp is returning to northeastern Ohio to manage the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in the inaugural season of the six-team MLB Draft League, Major League Baseball and Prep Baseball Report announced Monday.

Crisp, whose actual first name is Covelli, spent 15 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics, tallying a .265 batting average, 877 runs scored, 495 extra-base hits, 308 doubles, 57 triples and 130 home runs in 1,586 games.

The MLB Draft League announced Jedd Gyorko [West Virginia Black Bears], Jeff Manto [Trenton Thunder], Derrick May [Frederick Keys], Delwyn Young [State College Spikes], Billy Horton [Williamsport Crosscutters] as the other team managers. All the managers spent at least four seasons in Major League Baseball, with the exception of Horton, who played professionally in independent leagues.

Crisp coached at Shadow Hills High School in Indio, Calif., and currently serves as bench coach at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif. He said he looks forward to sharing his experience with potential professional prospects during the MLB Draft League’s first year.

“Many of these kids didn’t necessarily get the type of opportunity and looks they deserved last year because of the pandemic, so to have the MLB Draft League in place, giving players the opportunity to be seen,” Crisp said in astatement.

The Scrappers will open the 68-game season May 24 at the West Virginia Black Bears with the home opener May 26 against the State College Spikes – one of 34 contests at Eastwood Field. For tickets, click HERE or call 330 505 0000.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.