Date: February 5, 2025 By: Jacob Wilkins
Reid Brignac to Return for Fourth Season Leading the Rumble Ponies
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Double-A Affiliate of the New York Mets, are pleased to announce their 2025 coaching staff. Reid Brignac returns for a fourth season at the helm in the Southern Tier. He is joined by Pitching Coach Dan McKinney, Hitting Coach Nate Irving, Bench Coach Mariano Duncan, and Assistant Hitting Coach Aaron Bray.
Brignac (pronounced Brin-yac) begins his fourth year as manager of the Rumble Ponies and sixth year in the Mets organization. Brignac is now the second-longest tenured manager in Binghamton history behind Pedro Lopez (2012-16). In 2024, Brignac led a Rumble Ponies squad that at one point won 10-consecutive games, marking the franchise's longest regular season winning streak since 2006. Brignac also oversaw Mets Minor League Pitcher of the Year Brandon Sproat's dominant stint at Double-A. After the conclusion of the Ponies' season, Brignac assisted the Mets major league staff for a few games at the end of their regular season.
In 2023, Brignac led the Ponies to the postseason for the first time since 2017. Brignac's club went on a second-half surge, going 39-27 overall and 17-5 over their last 22 games. They swept the Somerset Patriots in the Eastern League Division Series to lead the Ponies to the ELCS for the first time since 2014 before falling to Erie.
In 2022, he led a team that saw five players make their major league debut with the Mets after starting the season with the Rumble Ponies, tying a Binghamton franchise record (Francisco Álvarez, Brett Baty, José Butto, Nate Fisher, and Bryce Montes de Oca). Brignac also was the Mets' representative on the Arizona Fall League coaching staff after that season, serving as the manager of the Peoria Javelinas. Brignac enjoyed a long and successful playing career, spending parts of nine years in the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Miami Marlins. He was initially drafted by the Rays in the second round of the 2004 MLB Draft.
Duncan begins his fourth year as bench coach with the Rumble Ponies and seventh year in the Mets organization. He was an instrumental part of the Rumble Ponies 2023 run to the Eastern League Championship Series. He previously served as the bench coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A) in 2021 and in the same role with Kingsport in 2019. The former infielder played 12 major league seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a two-time World Series champion ('90 Reds and '96 Yankees) and was inducted into the Dominican Republic Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. Duncan also was a member of the 1993 Phillies team that won the National League pennant.
McKinney begins his first season in Binghamton and third with the Mets organization. Last season, McKinney worked in the same capacity for the Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A) and in 2023 was the pitching coach for Single-A St. Lucie. With the Cyclones, McKinney's staff set a franchise record for number of shutouts in a single season with 14. A highlight of the season came on June 4 in Coney Island, as the Cyclones pitched a combined no-hitter against Aberdeen, the franchise's first no-hitter since 2009. He joined the organization after spending 2022 as the pitching coach at Southeast Missouri State University, helping guide them to an Ohio Valley Conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth. McKinney was also previously part of coaching staffs at Oakland University (2021), University of Akron (2019-20), and Kirkwood Community College. He attended the University of Michigan on a baseball scholarship.
Irving begins his first season in the Mets organization. He most recently was with the Cincinnati Reds organization for six years. With the Reds, he served two years as a minor league hitting coach, one year as bench coach, and three years as an MLB Coaching Assistant/bullpen catcher. For the past two seasons, Irving has also served as a hitting coach in for the Bravos de Margarita in the Venezuela Winter League. Irving also spent one year as a graduate assistant at the University of Virginia. Irving played collegiately at Virginia and was selected in the 34th round of the 2014 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played professionally for the D-Backs as well as for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bray begins his first season in the Mets organization, after spending the previous two seasons as a hitting coach in the San Diego Padres organization. He also served as a minor league coach in the Boston Red Sox organization in 2022. Bray was selected by the Houston Astros in the 27th round of the 2009 draft out of UNC Charlotte, playing professionally for two seasons.
Returning to the Ponies' staff as well in 2025 is Athletic Trainer Vanessa Weisbach. Weisbach has served as the Rumble Ponies' athletic trainer for two seasons (2022, 2024) and is in her 10th year with the Mets organization. She also assisted the New York Mets Athletic Training Staff at the end of the 2022 season. In 2023, Weisbach served as the athletic trainer for Triple-A Syracuse.
Beginning his first season as Performance Coach is Trent McMaster. McMaster is in his third season with the Mets organization.
Also returning to the Ponies' staff for a second season is Baseball Analytics Analyst Will Moscato, joined by Baseball Technology & Video Associate Jaron Richman, along with Athletic Training Associate Meghan Haas. Clubhouse Manager Mike Vavalle returns for his ninth season with the Rumble Ponies and his seventh season as home clubhouse manager.
The Rumble Ponies open the 2025 season on the road against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A Affiliate) on Friday, April 4. The Ponies' home opener is on Tuesday, April 8 against the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies Double-A Affiliate) at 6:07 p.m.
Season and individual game tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased by visiting the Visions Federal Credit Union Starting Gate Box Office at Mirabito Stadium, on the phone at (607)-722-FUNN, or on our website www.bingrp.com
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