A week ago, I wrote about the Fab 14, the 14 men who either played at Arizona or for the Toros/Sidewinders/Padres Triple-A teams and went on to become big league managers. It was an incomplete list.
After further examination, I discovered that 2008 Sidewinder third baseman Don Kelly is the second-year manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. After he left Tucson, he was a scout for the Detroit Tigers and an assistant coach for the Houston Astros.
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly in the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field May 6, 2026, in Phoenix.
I also learned that long-time Toros infielder Ray Montgomery — he played in Tucson for the 1993 PCL championship team and also on the 1994, 1995 and 1996 Toros teams — was the manager of the Los Angeles Angels last season. Before Montgomery became the manager for Angels owner Arte Moreno of Tucson, he was, among other things, scouting director for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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That means my Fab 14 list of MLB managers with Tucson baseball backgrounds is now a Sweet 16. Hard to imagine any city topping that sweet list.
Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at GHansenAZStar@gmail.com. On X(Twitter): @ghansen711
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Tucson is a breeding ground for MLB managers | Greg Hansen
