Legendary Skipper Buddy Bailey Back for Another Year with Pelicans

The Chicago Cubs and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans are pleased to announce that Buddy Bailey will return to manage the Birds in his 35th season as a minor league manager. Bailey is the winningest active minor league manager with 2,280 regular season victories. In 2022, he led the Pelicans to a first-half title in the Carolina
League’s South Division and a final record of 78-53.

Bailey managed the Birds from 2016-2018. He returned to Myrtle Beach in 2021 after a one-year stint with South Bend. During his time with the Birds, Bailey has racked up 353 wins, four half season Southern Division Titles, one Southern Division Championship title, and the Carolina League Championship title in 2016. The number of former Pelicans who played under Bailey and have made their MLB debut now totals 27. Additionally, the #46 American Sign Language jersey worn by Bailey on the Pelicans’ inaugural Deaf Awareness Night was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, NY in October of 2018 and remains on display today.

Bruce Billings joins the Pelicans as the Pitching Coach for 2023. Billings, originally from San Diego, CA, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2007. He later played for Oakland Athletics, the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals. From 2016-2018, he pitched in the Chinese Professional Baseball League for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions and the Fubon Guardians. In 2019, he returned to America and joined the Phillies as a minor league coach.

Hitting Coach Roberto Vaz joins the Birds in Myrtle Beach for his first season with the Cubs organization. In 2014, Vaz began his eight year assistant coach stint with LSU-Eunice Baseball. He also served as an assistant coach for the USA Baseball U18 team in 2022. Vaz, originally from Brooklyn, NY, was drafted by Oakland Athletics in 1997. He spent his seven year playing career with the Oakland A’s and Texas Rangers organizations. In 1999, Vaz helped the Vancouver Canadians win the Triple-A World Series.

The Athletic Trainer for the Pelicans will be Maggie Lowenhar. She served as the Athletic Training Intern for the Arizona Complex League Cubs last season. Lowenhar is a 2019 graduate of Indiana University – Bloomington where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training, and a 2021 graduate of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where she earned her Masters of Arts in Athletic Training.

Jesus De La Sancha rounds out the 2023 staff as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. De La Sancha joined the Cubs organization in October of 2022 after serving as a Volunteer Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Arkansas. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science in 2018 and his Masters of Physical Education Teaching and Coaching in 2022, both from the University of Arkansas. In 2019, De La Sancha worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of New Mexico.

The Pelicans’ 2023 season will begin on April 6 against the Charleston RiverDogs. Season tickets are available now. For more information visit MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, call (843) 918-6000 or visit the Pelicans Front Office.