AIGLES HIRE FORMER MAJOR LEAGUER JONATHAN ALBALDEJO AS FOURTH MANAGER IN FRANCHISE HISTORY
TROIS-RIVIERES, QC - The Trois-Rivières Eagles have found their new manager, who will be tasked with writing the next chapter of the franchise. A few weeks after ending their association with Matthew Rusch, the Eagles have reached an agreement with former Major League Baseball pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo, who thus becomes the fourth manager in the history of the Eagles.
A former player for the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and Arizona D-Backs, the 41-year-old Puerto Rican spent last season as a pitching coach with the Lake Erie Crushers in the Frontier League.
For President René Martin, Albaladejo's candidacy perfectly matched the criteria established by the management at the very beginning of the search for a new manager.
"The arrival of Jonathan Albaladejo with the Eagles is enormous. He has an extraordinary network of contacts, and we are convinced that he is the right man to bring the Eagles back to success."
For his part, Jonathan Albaladejo is eager to get to work building the new Trois-Rivières Aigles. “I am very honored to join the Trois-Rivières Aigles organization. The connection was instantaneous, from the first discussions with the management. I heard great things about this city and their passionate fans. I can't wait to get to work building a team that lives up to what the fans deserve,” Albaladejo said.
Albaladejo comes to Trois-Rivières with a wealth of experience in the world of baseball, including 66 games over 5 seasons in Major League Baseball (2007-2012), in addition to 365 games in affiliated baseball (2001-2017).
During his playing career, Albaladejo was first drafted in the 34th round by the San Francisco Giants in 2000, before being selected again a year later (2001) in the 17th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. After a few years in the minor leagues, he reached the Major Leagues in 2007 with the Washington Nationals, with whom he played 14.1 innings.
Since retiring in 2020, Albaladejo has had various coaching experiences, including stints in the Mexican League, the Empire League, and with the Empire State Grays in the Frontier League before joining the Lake Erie Crushers last summer.
Albaladejo won't be arriving alone in Trois-Rivières. His fellow Puerto Rican Gerry Gonzalez will also be taking over at Quillorama Stadium, taking on the role of hitting coach. Last summer, he held the same position with the Lake Erie Crushers, alongside Albaladejo.
The Eagles haven't tasted the playoffs since 2019. In three seasons since their arrival in the Frontier League, they have compiled a dossier.
"We have discussed our expectations with Jonathan and we share the same point of view. He will be tasked with assembling a team in his image. Several players from last year will not be able to return due to their contractual status. This leaves a lot of room for maneuver for our new manager in the formation of his roster," says general manager Jérôme Duchesneau.
