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- Position:
- Field Manager
Bio
2025 marked the 30th season in which Tagert has managed a professional baseball club. "Tags" has led the ValleyCats to back-to-back playoff berths, including a franchise record 65 wins between the regular season and postseason in 2025. Tri-City defeated the Sussex County Miners in the Wild Card Round last season, which was its first playoff series victory since 2018. He is one of four 'Cats managers to win 100+ games at the helm (Pete Incaviglia - 159, Ed Romero - 134, and Gregg Langbehn - 127). Tagert was named the manager of the Atlantic Conference team at the 2025 Frontier League All-Star Game at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
He has spent the bulk of his career in the American Association with the Winnipeg Goldeyes (2023) and the Gary SouthShore Railcats (2011-2021). The San Francisco State University alum was also at the helm for the RailCats from 2005-2010 when they were in the Northern League. In between his two stints with the American Association, Tagert was the Field Manager for the rookie ball affiliate of the San Francisco Giants in the Arizona Complex League in 2022.
The upcoming season will represent a bit of a homecoming as Tagert was a skipper in the Frontier League in 1995, and from 1997-2004. He began his managerial career with the Ohio Valley Redcoats in 1995. After a brief stint in 1996 with the Brainerd Bobcats in the Prairie League, Tagert managed the Evansville Otters from 1997-2000. He was also at the helm with the Dubois County Dragons (2001-2002), Kenosha Mammoths (2003), and Springfield/Ozark Ducks (2004).
Additional experiences for Tagert include his time as a scouting consultant for the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Prior to his tenure with the Bobcats, he coached at the University of New Mexico. Tagert has accumulated numerous accolades throughout his tenure as a skipper, such as being at the helm for the first three championships with the RailCats (2005, 2007, 2013), earning the Manager of the Year award in three different seasons (2001, 2007, 2009), compiling a 1,430-1,258 managerial record (.532 win percentage), and working with over 60 players that have moved on to MLB clubs.