WCBL's Regina Red Sox announce 2024 coaching staff

The Regina Red Sox have announced their 2024 coaching staff. Photo: Regina Red Sox

October 4, 2023

Official Regina Red Sox News Release

The Regina Red Sox have announced their 2024 coaching staff.

Rye Pothakos | Director of Recruiting and Baseball Operations/Head Coach

The Regina Red Sox are pleased to announce that Rye Pothakos will be our head coach for the 2024 season. He returns to the Sox for his ninth season.

He has been serving as the director of scouting and baseball operations for the past eight seasons and will now add head coach to his list of duties.

His long-time involvement in baseball has ensured the Sox field a competitive team each year. He is an associate scout for the Kansas City Royals. He is a Canadian of Greek Heritage who managed, scouted, and coached the Greek National Team from 2017 to 2021, and has been instrumental in building a winning team over the past few years. He led the Greek National team back to the European A pool in 2021 and secured a spot in the 2023 A pool. The Saskatoon resident has been the director of recruiting for the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets (WMBL), Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks (NL), Elmira Pioneers (NEL) and Regina Cyclones (PL). He is an advisor to the USPL in the Independent Professional League based out of Utica, Mich.

Mitch MacDonald | Assistant Coach/General Manager

He returns to the Red Sox for his 10th season as either a player or a coach. He will now take on the duties of general manager for 2024. He served as the Red Sox manager in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and as an assistant coach in 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2022. He started with the Red Sox at age 18 as a player in 2006 and after playing professional baseball returned to the Sox in 2009 and played through 2012. In 2010, he became the only player in league history to win the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) triple crown with a .476 batting average, eight home runs, and 48 RBIs. He was also a two-time WCBL champion in 2011 and 2012. When not at the diamond, he spends his time teaching and being with his young family.

Steven Butts | Pitching Coach

He returns to the Red Sox for his second season as the team’s pitching coach. He currently resides in Phoenix, Ariz., and is the head coach at North Valley Christian Academy. He pitched for the New Mexico State Aggies (NCAA) in 2016 and 2017. During the summer of 2017, he played summer ball for the Strasburg Express (Valley Baseball League). In 2018, he played for Arizona Christian Firestorm (NAIA). He played in the Great Lakes collegiate summer league in 2018 and 2019 for the St. Clair Green Giants before finishing his collegiate career with the Campbellsville Tigers (NAIA).