Blue Ribbons’ Manager Haydon Price started building his coaching staff for the 2024 season, announcing the addition of two assistant coaches, Bret Whiffen and Brian Price Jr.
Whiffen, a relief pitcher who is currently in his senior season at William Penn University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school in Iowa, is a graduate of Green Bay’s Southwest High School, and has spent the past three summers pitching for the Blue Ribbons.
The organization’s career leader in saves, Whiffen has made 31 appearances for the Blue Ribbons, logging 96 innings on the mound from 2021-2023. He saw action in 15 games last season, posting a 2.22 ERA with a WHIP of 1.06 while successfully converting on every one of his save opportunities.
“I couldn’t be more happy to welcome Bret into his new role within the organization,” said Haydon Price. “Bret will serve as our team’s Pitching Coach/Coordinator this upcoming season as well as engaging in player development and recruitment. Bret brings many years of experience playing for our organization, where he has seen success starting, relieving, and closing baseball games. I believe Bret’s intelligence for the game of baseball, as well as his strong communication skills and calm demeanor will help our pitching staff succeed for years to come.”
Price Jr., a current student at Illinois Valley Community College, a NJCAA Division ll JUCO in Oglesby, Illinois, serves as a student manager on the school’s baseball team. Price Jr. graduated from Ottawa Township High School in Ottawa, Illinois in May of 2022. He will serve in multiple roles on the Blue Ribbons staff and aid in Player Development.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Brian to the Blue Ribbons Organization and Coaching Staff,” Haydon Price said. “Brian brings a young, intelligent baseball mind to our staff, with ability to connect and relate to current players on our roster. Brian’s passion for winning and knowledge of the game of baseball is truly prodigious. Brian will serve multiple roles within our organization, primarily focusing on player development and recruitment, while also serving as the team’s Bench Coach this upcoming season.”
The Blue Ribbons 2024 baseball season will get underway in late May, with the team once again scheduled to participate in both the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League.