American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report name Winnipeg Goldeyes Logan Watkins as the 2024 American Association Manager of the Year.  

Goldeyes Logan Watkins Named Top Manager

On Tuesday, This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report named Winnipeg Goldeyes Logan Watkins as American Association Manager of the Year for the 2024 season. Watkins led the Winnipeg Goldeyes to the second-best record in the league (56-43) and the top record in the West Division. They are in the Miles Wolff Cup Finals.

Watkins joined the Winnipeg Goldeyes this season after spending two years as skipper of the Cleburne Railroaders. He went 96-104 in two seasons in Texas, but was let go following the 2023 season.

Watkins was quickly signed by the Goldeyes, leading the team to their best record since 2019 when they went 57-43. The club went 9-11 in May, but things began to turn around in June when Winnipeg went 14-12 to reach the .500 mark. From there, the Goldeyes caught fire, going 16-8 in July and 17-10 in August to claim the top record in the West Division.

Watkins did an amazing job building this club in his first season, re-signing Landen Bourasa, Joey Matulovich, and Travis Seabrooke, but he also added arms like Zach Reininger, Joey Steele, and Nick Trogrlic-Iverson. That helped Winnipeg easily lead the league in ERA (3.71), nearly a full run lower than the second-place team (Kane County at 4.59).

Watkins also re-signed superstar Max Murphy and Dayson Croes, then added team MVP Miles Simington, Rob Emery, Roby Enriquez, and Ramon Bramasco, to name a few. That helped the team produce the third best team batting average (.278) and they were fifth in runs scored (534).

Also Considered

Sioux Falls Canaries Manager Mike Meyer was second in the voting. Meyer has already received the award twice (2020 and 2023). He led Sioux Falls to the third best record in the league (55-44) and the team’s second straight playoff appearance.

Ken Huckaby finished third in the voting. Huckaby is in his first full season with the Lake Country DockHounds, and did a great job, as the team finished 53-47. That gave them their first playoff appearance in team history.

Previous American Association Managers of the Year

2023 – Steve Montgomery, Sioux City Explorers and Mike Meyer, Sioux Falls Canaries
2022 – George Tsamis Kane County Cougars
2021 – Joe Calfapietra, Kansas City Monarchs
2020 – Mike Meyer, Sioux Falls Canaries
2019 – Joe Calfapietra, Kansas City T-Bones
2018 – Joe Calfapietra, Kansas City T-Bones

By Robert Pannier