Modesto Nuts Skipper Zach Vincej Named MiLB Manager of the Year
The Seattle Mariners didn't have the season in the majors that they had hoped. The organization had arguably the best starting pitching rotation in all of baseball in 2024. But an offense that struggled for the most of the year led to the Mariners missing out on the postseason by one game and missing the playoffs for the 22nd time in 23 years, overall.
While the major league club dealt with its struggles, the minor league squads enjoyed a decent amount of success.
Seattle's farm system was regarded as one of the best in baseball and had an MLB-high eight prospects on Baseball America's top 100 list by the end of the season.
The minor leagues also experienced some postseason success. The club's Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers, won the Texas League championship.
The Mariners Low-A affiliate, the Modesto Nuts, also a won the California League title. It was their second straight league title. And the manager at the helm of Modesto's two straight title runs was recently recognized for his efforts.
Nuts manager Zach Vincej was named Baseball America's Minor League Manager of the Year, according to an article written by Shane Lantz.
Vincej commented on winning the award in the story:
“What a great honor. You know, I think of it more as an (organizational) award for me, because all the resources, all the guidance that I’ve gotten from the Mariners, it’s been incredible. To have an award like this, it shows that the hard work is paying off, but it’s also a testament to my staff, and how great my players are at the same time.”
Congrats to manager Zach Vincej on being named @baseballamerica MiLB Manager of the Year!! Well deserved!!🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/i9h3lZB3Vo
— Modesto Nuts (@ModestoNuts) December 16, 2024
Modesto's championships in 2023 and 2024 were the first two seasons of Vincej's managerial career. Vincej has coached and managed some of the most highly-touted prospects in Seattle's current farm system such as Lazaro Montes, Michael Arroyo and Colt Emerson.
Vincej played eight seasons professionally from 2012-19. Most of that time was spent in the minor leagues, but Vincej did play one game in the majors with the Mariners in 2018. That was his only major league experience aside from nine games played with the Cincinnati Reds in 2017.
The Nuts will play their last seasons as a Mariners affiliate in 2025 after the organization sold Modesto to Diamond Baseball Holdings.
With Vincej's early success and familiarity with many of Seattle's top prospects, and the fact Modesto will no longer be a part of the Mariners' organization, there's a good chance that he will move up the organization's coaching ranks in 2025.
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