Wizards Select New Field Manager For 2009

The Watertown Wizards of the New York Collegiate Baseball League have announced that 2008 pitching coach Brandon Potter has been chosen as the team's field manager for the 2009 season. Potter, the fifth head coach in franchise history, replaces Ryan Horning.

Potter is in his first season as an assistant coach at Cerro Coso Community College in eastern California. Previously, Potter has worked as an assistant at Minnesota State University and St. John Fisher College. After graduating from St. John Fisher College in 2004, Potter spent several summers working in the Cleveland Indians organization as a bullpen catcher for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

Potter was an all-conference performer at St. John Fisher College as a catcher. He was chosen second-team All-Empire 8 in 2003 after he hit .315 in 28 games and drove in 17 runs. The following season, Potter was named All-Empire 8 honorable mention. He played 35 games as a senior and drove in 14 runs.

The Bloomfield, N.Y., native was the pitching coach for the Wizards last summer. He mentored Luis Castillo (Bellevue) to a second team All-NYCBL selection. Overall, the Wizards finished in fourth place in the six-team Eastern Division and made the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, the longest streak of any Eastern Division team.

Previous Watertown Wizards managers include Daniel Ninemire (2000), Paul Alteri (2001-2003), Ryan Horning (2008) and current general manager Todd Kirkey (2004-2007).