News release from the Danville Otterbots
DANVILLE, VA - With baseball set to return to Danville next Thursday on Appalachian League Opening Night, the Otterbots are thrilled to announce the complete 2021 coaching staff. Joining manager Desi Relaford in the dugout are pitching coach Clyde Keller, hitting coach Angel Berroa, and player development coach Xavier Paul.
With a background of success in both amateur and professional baseball, Clyde Keller arrives in Danville to take on the role of pitching coach for the Otterbots. Most recently he served as the pitching coach at Florida State in 2019 after three seasons as the volunteer assistant for the Seminoles. He also coached in the collegiate ranks from 1997-2000 as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Western Kentucky. Keller then moved to the professional level as the pitching coach for the Single-A Auburn Doubledays in the Toronto Blue Jays organization for the 2001 campaign.
His coaching career began in 1994 when he became the head coach at Berkeley Prep in Tampa. In four years at the helm he made three trips to the regionals and one appearance in the state championship. He later returned to the school as its pitching coach from 2011-14.
The Fair Oaks, Calif., native was a two-way player for FSU from 1988-89, earning All-Metro Conference first team honors both seasons. He was also a participant in the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis as a member of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Selected in the 32nd round of the 1989 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, Keller spent five years in the minor leagues and was twice named the runner-up for the Rolaids Minor League Reliever of the Year Award (1991, 1992).
The 2003 American League Rookie of the Year and a nine-year Major League veteran, Angel Berroa joins the Otterbots staff as hitting coach this summer. A career .258 hitter over a total of 746 big league games, Berroa tallied 245 RBIs, hit 46 home runs and stole 50 bases. His breakout season came in his rookie campaign when he hit .287 with 17 home runs and 73 RBIs as the starting shortstop for the Kansas City Royals en route to winning AL Rookie of the Year honors.
Berroa was signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Oakland Athletics in 1997, staying with the organization until 2001 when he was traded to the Royals. He would spend parts of the next seven seasons in the big leagues, suiting up for Kansas City from 2001-07.
Berroa split his remaining time in the Major Leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008), New York Yankees (2009) and New York Mets (2009). Following the end of his playing career, he moved into the coaching ranks working four seasons as an assistant coach with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox from 2017-20.
Making his coaching debut in Danville this summer is former Major League outfielder Xavier Paul, the player development coach for the Otterbots. The Slidell, La., native spent six seasons at baseball’s highest level with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2009-11), Pittsburgh Pirates (2011), Cincinnati Reds (2012-13) and Arizona Diamondbacks (2014).
Paul was a .250 hitter in 349 career MLB games, driving in 71 runners and stealing 23 bases. After being named 2003 Mr. Baseball for the state of Louisiana out of Slidell High School, he was chosen in the fourth round of the 2003 MLB Draft by the Dodgers.
Paul is also a two-time USA Baseball alum, having suited up for the 16U National Team twice. He helped lead the team to gold medals in both the 2000 COPABE Pan American Youth Championships in Monterrey, Mexico, and the 2001 IBAF World Youth Championships in Veracruz, Mexico.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Clyde, Angel, and Xavier to the Otterbots family,” said General Manager, Austin Scher. “To have such a wealth of experience and knowledge in our clubhouse is beyond beneficial to our players, our fans, and our community. We as an organization cannot wait to introduce the new era of Appalachian League baseball with the new era of entertainment for Danville and Southside Virginia this summer!”
The Otterbots are set to begin the 2021 campaign on Thursday, June 3rd as the Pulaski River Turtles visit American Legion Post 325 Field at Dan Daniel Memorial Park in Danville. Season Tickets are available now, single game tickets will be made available in the coming days.
For more information, contact the Danville Otterbots: Austin Scher, General Manager 434-554-HITS (4487) austin@danvilleotterbots.com Facebook: GoOtterbots Twitter: @GoOtterbots 博彩集团: @GoOtterbots ##