Local

Mahoning Valley Scrappers name Raul Gonzalez as manager for 2026 season

By Staff Report
Former MLB player Raul Gonzalez will manage the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in 2026, aiming to develop young talent for the next level in Niles, Ohio.
Former MLB player Raul Gonzalez will manage the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in 2026, aiming to develop young talent for the next level in Niles, Ohio. Mahoning Valley Srappers

Former Major Leaguer, Raul Gonzalez, has been named Manager for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers for the 2026 season.

Gonzalez, the Puerto Rico native, was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 17th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball draft at the age of 17. González made his Major League debut for the Chicago Cubs on May 25, 2000. He made his final MLB appearance on June 21, 2004, for the Cleveland Indians.

Beginning in 2011, Gonzalez served as an advance scout for the Detroit Tigers, a hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox (Gulf Coast League) and Kansas City Royals (Burlington Royals), and an AZL hitting coach for the San Diego Padres. Recently, during the 2023-2024 season, he served as the Assistant Hitting Coach for the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Guardians.

Gonzalez will make his managerial debut with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in 2026.

“I am honored to be a part of the 2026 Mahoning Valley Scrappers. My mission, alongside the staff around me, is to prepare these young athletes for the next level - professional baseball,” he said. “We’re excited to bring some great talent to Niles, Ohio.”

Additional members of the coaching staff include Orlando Merced and Jason Stanford. Merced is named the Hitting Coach and Stanford is named the Pitching Coach for the Scrappers. Merced played 13 seasons in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1990–1996), Toronto Blue Jays (1997), Minnesota Twins (1998), Boston Red Sox (1998), Chicago Cubs (1998), Montreal Expos (1999), and Houston Astros (2001–2003). He also played one season for the Orix BlueWave (2000) in Japan. He helped the Pirates win the National League East Division in three consecutive seasons, from 1990 through 1992. He was part of the Astros’ 2001 NL Central Division champions. Stanford is a former left-handed starting pitcher who played for three seasons for the Cleveland Indians. During his baseball career in the Indians organization, he won the prestigious Bob Feller award. Locally, Stanford served as the head coach for the Howland Tigers baseball team from 2010-2012 and Youngstown State University pitching coach in 2012.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are one of six founding members of the MLB Draft League, joining the Aberdeen Ironbirds, State College Spikes, Trenton Thunder, West Virginia Black Bears, and Williamsport Crosscutters.

The Scrappers are set to open the 2026 season at 7 17 Credit Union Field at Eastwood on Tuesday, June 2nd against the State College Spikes. Scrappers ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities are available now. For more information, visit www.mvscrappers.com.