Kelly Joins 2023 AppleSox Coaching Staff
/
AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Friday the addition of Colton Kelly to the team’s 2023 coaching staff.
Kelly is in his first season as an assistant coach for Wenatchee Valley College and will remain in the Apple Capital to coach the AppleSox this summer. He works with Knights head coach Aaron Vaughn, who served as the AppleSox pitching coach in 2022.
“We’re going to split duties with hitters,” Darlington said. “He’ll have full control of the outfield and coach first base. It’s good for us to keep that Wenatchee Valley College connection. He knows the local field and knows guys in the area. He’s another guy who has eyes in the NWAC.”
Kelly played at Skagit Valley College in 2014 before transferring to Columbia Basin College. The outfielder sat out in 2-5 because of transferring and went on to hit .324 in 24 games with the Hawks in 2016. Kelly again took a year off before joining Oklahoma Wesleyan and posted two more phenomenal years at the plate, batting .341 in 2018 and then .387 in 2019 on the back-to-back conference regular season and postseason champions.
The Moses Lake native spent the previous two seasons working as an assistant coach at Skagit Valley before joining Vaughn’s staff in Wenatchee. Kelly also has previous West Coast League experience from when he played 16 games with the Yakima Valley Pippins in 2016.
“I’m excited to be uncomfortable,” Kelly said. “I am comfortable in the NWAC. I played with two different schools and I’m going into my third season coaching in it. I’m excited to be around some higher lever and learn from them just as much as I can teach them.”
Kelly joins pitching coach Mike Callia as Darlington’s two assistants for the 2023 season. Wenatchee is coming off winning the 2022 North Division Second Half title to earn their 14th postseason appearance in 22 seasons. They swept the Kamloops NorthPaws in the North Division Semifinals but fell to the Bellingham Bells in the North Division Championship Game.
Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.
Hear more from Kelly as he chats with AppleSox broadcaster Joel Norman about his baseball career and his excitement about joining the AppleSox.
