Daytona Tortugas Announce 2025 Coaching Staff

Willie Harris takes over as manager for the Tortugas' tenth season

Sep 9, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) is greeted by third base coach Willie Harris (33) after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Reds' Low-A minor league affiliate, the Daytona Tortugas, have announced their staff for the 2025 season, and there is a new manager at the helm.

Manager Willie Harris joins the Tortugas for his first season in Daytona and his first season back in the Reds organization. The 46-year-old most recently served as the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs from 2021-24 after serving as the Cincinnati Reds’ outfield and baserunning coordinator in 2020.

Harris was originally selected by Baltimore in the 24th round of the 1999 MLB Draft out of Kennesaw State University and played 14 seasons of professional baseball, including 12 seasons (2001-12) in the major leagues for seven teams, finishing his career with the Cincinnati Reds in 2012.

Pitching coach Jason Immekus comes to The Beach for his first season with the Tortugas and his first in the Reds organization. The 49-year-old worked previously as a pitching trainer at Premier Pitching Performance in St. Louis, Missouri from 2021-24 after 20 years as a pitching coach for four different colleges in Kansas and Missouri.

Hitting coach Jose Leon heads to Daytona for 2025 after serving as the hitting coach for the Dayton Dragons in 2024. In Dayton, the 48-year-old was instrumental in the Dragons reaching the Midwest League playoffs, guiding an offense that led the MWL in home runs and scored the third-most runs. This is Leon’s fourth season in Reds’ organization after also instructing hitters for the DSL Reds in 2022 and ACL Reds in 2023.

Coach Lenny Harris is back for his fifth season on the Tortugas staff and his ninth season coaching in the Cincinnati Reds system.

Coach Osmin Melendez returns for his first season in Daytona and third season in the Cincinnati Reds organization. A 49-year-old native of Venezuela, Melendez joined the Reds in 2023 as a coach for the Class A-Advanced Dayton Dragons.

The Tortugas went 64-64 in 2024 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

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