Otters announce coaching staff for 2021 season

The Evansville Otters and manager Andy McCauley announced the team is bringing back the entire coaching staff from the 2019 season and welcoming in Billy Easley as an assistant coach to the staff.

Evansville advanced to the Frontier League postseason for the fourth consecutive season in 2019 and earned the franchise’s first Frontier League division title since 1999.

McCauley is entering his 11th season as manager of the Otters. In ten seasons as the Otters’ skipper, McCauley has guided the club to five postseason appearances and a league championship in 2016 and has set franchise records in games managed (910) and wins (474).

McCauley was the Roger Hanners Frontier League Manager of the Year in 2014, taking the Otters back to the postseason for the first time since the 2006 championship season.

In 2019, McCauley guided the team to a franchise-tying record of 57 regular season wins.

Familiar names and faces will return to work alongside him in the dugout at Bosse Field.

“I am certainly fortunate to not only have the people on my staff, but to have the stability of this coaching staff,” McCauley said. “It speaks to the commitment of Mr. Bussing and the Otters’ organization to have the best coaching staff possible.”

Charles “Boots” Day returns for his 10th season with the Otters and he will again serve as the bench coach in 2021. Day was the franchise’s first manager in 1995, leading the team to a 31-38 record after a playing career that included stints with the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos over a six-year period.

“Boots brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from over 50 years in professional baseball,” McCauley said. “He assists with our base stealers, outfielders and hitters, and he is irreplaceable as bench coach with his input on game situations.”

Bobby Segal will be in his fifth season with the team as hitting coach this summer. Segal, an Indiana University graduate, served as a collegiate hitting coach for nine seasons and a summer coach for five years before joining the Otters in 2016.

“Bobby does an outstanding job with the hitters,” McCauley said. “His tireless work ethic mixed with his knowledge and winning resume are the perfect combination for any level of professional baseball. We are very fortunate to have Bobby. He also is a big part of player procurement. His past connections with college coaches, collegiate summer leagues and the American Association are all useful avenues we have used in past seasons.”

Max Peterson returns to Evansville for his seventh season as pitching coach. Peterson, a San Diego native, was hired in 2014 after a five-year playing career that included time in the Oakland A’s and Chicago White Sox organizations.

“Max does an outstanding job with our pitching staff,” McCauley said. “He is a very talented evaluator and good communicator within his staff. Max is an integral part of finding talent as well as developing his pitchers.”

In 2019, Peterson was given the Darren Bush Frontier League Coach of the Year Award. Peterson’s guidance led six Otters’ pitchers to being signed to MLB affiliated organizations.  Peterson also led the Otters’ pitching staff to a franchise single-season record of 868 strikeouts, which led the Frontier League. The franchise’s last record-setting mark was 832 in 2017.

Rob Watson will continue in his role as an assistant coach specializing in player procurement and Phil Britton will serve as an assistant coach specializing in catcher instruction.

Watson was on McCauley’s first staff in Evansville during the 2010 season and served as an acting manager during the 2017 postseason.

“Rob is the longest continuous coach on my staff and is a very big help in the short spring training period,” McCauley said. “He is a very good evaluator of hitters and infielders, and his input is heavily relied upon with our final roster decisions. Rob is also a big help with player procurement, having strong ties in Southern California and around Oklahoma.”

Britton played under McCauley with Evansville in 2011, finishing the season with two home runs and 15 RBIs.

“Phil is an outstanding catching instructor we have been lucky to retain,” McCauley said. “Very few independent teams have a dedicated catching instructor and Phil is one of the best. Phil is tasked with getting the catchers, pitchers, and staff all on the same page in two short weeks. He is an outstanding technician and teacher at one of the toughest positions in all sports.”

The Otters have also announced the addition of Billy Easley as an assistant coach on the staff.

Easley has been an assistant coach at NAIA Oklahoma City University for the last six seasons. Since joining OCU, Easley has helped coach two All-Americans and three professional catchers. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Radio/Television/Video from the University of the Ozark’s and a Master’s degree in positive coaching from the University of Missouri.

“Billy was highly recommended to me by a trusted baseball guy I’ve known for over 20 years,” McCauley said. “He will be a helpful addition to the club, assisting Bobby Segal and Phil Britton by working closely with the catchers. This will give Bobby more time to work with the hitters without neglecting the instruction and fundamental drills needed throughout the season. I am very excited to have Billy on our staff.”