Range Riders pick new manager

Oct. 26—The Glacier Range Riders have announced their newest manager for the 2024 season, Paul Fletcher. This will be the third manager change in three seasons for the Pioneer League baseball team.

The move was announced by Chris Kelly, the president of Ridge Run Baseball, in a press release.

“Fletcher brings a wealth of experience in coaching, with positions at both collegiate and professional levels. He has also coached and managed in the Frontier and Atlantic Leagues,” stated the press release. “Furthermore, Fletcher has an impressive scouting background, having worked with esteemed organizations such as the San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pittsburgh Pirates.

“Throughout his scouting career, Fletcher has discovered twenty-three players who have successfully ascended to the Major Leagues.”

Fletcher, a left-handed pitcher drafted from West Virginia State in 1988, had a brief stint in the majors, pitching 15 innings. He spent time in the minor league systems of the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland A’s before ending his professional career pitching in AAA with the Chicago Cubs in 1997 and Toronto in 1998.

Fletcher initially joined the Range Riders as the pitching coach in the middle of the season, taking over from Zach Stewart, who left the team due to personal reasons, as stated by the former manager Stu Pederson.

Pederson, who was not mentioned in the Range Riders’ announcement, revealed that he is considering an offer to stay with the team as the hitting coach and bench coach. In the 2022 season, Pederson held a similar position and played a crucial role in the team’s success.

During their first season, the Range Riders, under the management of Nick Hogan, finished with a record of 39-56. Hogan was then promoted to Director of Facility Operations for Glacier Bank Park. Pederson took over and led the team to an outstanding first-half record of 31-15 and an overall record of 54-42.

Despite these impressive achievements, the Range Riders fell short of a postseason berth due to Billings’ dominant performance in the second half. The Mustangs ultimately lost to Ogden in the Pioneer League Championship Series.

In the press release, Fletcher expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am truly honored to become part of the Glacier Range Riders organization as the manager. I am excited to contribute to the team’s continued success and to provide a winning culture for the passionate Flathead Valley fans.”