SPRINGDALE — Texas League Manager of the Year Brian Poldberg will be back in a Northwest Arkansas uniform in 2011.
Poldberg has been the Naturals’ only manager since the franchise moved to Springdale from Wichita, Kan., and he will be entering his fourth year at the helm of the Kansas City Royals’ Double-A affiliate.
Poldberg, 52, guided the Naturals to the Texas League playoffs in 2008 and the team reached the finals in 2009, but lost to Midland 3-1. Northwest Arkansas returned the favor in September by beating the RockHounds 3-1 in the Championship Series. The Naturals had a Texas League-best record of 86-54 during the regular season.
Poldberg has been in the Kansas City organization for the past 22 years and has a 234-186 record as the Naturals manager. His career minor league managerial record is 691-691.
Pitching coach Larry Carter and hitting coach Terry Bradshaw will also return.
“This place here has kind of been like home,” Poldberg said. “We’ve had three great years, and last year was a phenomenal year.”
While many of the Royals’ top prospects that played for the Naturals in 2010 will move on, the cupboard will be far from bare. Aaron Crow, Kansas City’s No. 1 draft pick in 2009 and the No. 2 prospect in the organization, will likely start the season in Springdale and catcher Wil Myers could start the season with the Naturals.
Myers is the No. 3 prospect in the Royals farm system.
“There are plenty of good players coming up from Wilmington and I would think we would keep some of the pitching (from last season),” Poldberg said.
The Naturals will welcome in one new member to the staff for next season as Dave Iannicca comes aboard as athletic trainer. Iannicca has served in the same capacity for Advanced Class-A Wilmington for the past three seasons.