Coaches

Mike Jeffcoat - Manager

Jeffcoat enters his first season as Railroaders manager in 2021. Jeffcoat served as the Railroaders pitching coach during the 2019 season, his first with the club. Under his direction, Cleburne’s pitching staff ranked among the league-leaders in several major categories, including a 3.90 team ERA that finished second on the circuit. Cleburne pitchers saw a marked statistical improvement across the board from 2018 to 2019, cutting down on walks (386 to 327) and hits allowed (961 to 892), while increasing the number of strikeouts (736 to 776). Railroaders pitchers Jesus Sanchez and Tyler Wilson were selected as American Association Mid-Season All-Stars.

Jeffcoat brings a wealth of experience to the Railroaders as both a player and coach. Originally a 13th round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians out of Louisiana Tech, the native of Pine Bluff, Ark., made his MLB debut in 1983, the first of three seasons he would spend with Cleveland. Jeffcoat was traded to the San Francisco Giants early in the 1985 season, and then later signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent prior to the 1987 campaign. It was with the Rangers that Jeffcoat put together some of his best seasons as a professional, including in 1989, when he went 9-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 22 starts. After six seasons in Texas, Jeffcoat finished out his major league career in 1994 by making four appearances for the Florida Marlins.

Over the course of 15 pro seasons, Jeffcoat produced 110 wins to 85 losses, compiling a 3.98 ERA in more than 1,700 career innings.

Jeffcoat came to Cleburne after 16 seasons as head coach at Texas Wesleyan, where he built the Rams into one of the most consistently successful programs in the NAIA. Jeffcoat inherited a program in 2002 that hadn’t produced a 40-win season in more than 20 years, a mark that the Rams would reach five times under his guidance. With more than 500 career victories, Jeffcoat is the all-time winningest coach in Texas Wesleyan history, including eight appearances in the Regional/NAIA National Championship Opening Round Tournament.

Jeffcoat, 61, resides in Godley with his wife, Elaine. He has a daughter, Haley, two granddaughters, Olivia and Caroline, and a grandson, Jordan.

 

John Rodriguez - Hitting Coach

Rodriguez enters his second season as Hitting Coach in 2020. Under his direction, the Railroaders were one of the American Association's most dynamic offensive clubs in 2019, becoming the only team to notch both 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases. From 2018 to 2019, the Railroaders improved the team batting average 32 points (.244 - .272), the team on-base percentage 34 points (.323 - .357), and the team slugging percentage 62 points (.372 - .434), for a staggering 95 point increase in on-base plus slugging percentage (.695 - .790). The 'Roaders finished second in the league in doubles (202), third in home runs (101), second in walks (394) and third in stolen bases (104).

As a player, Rodriguez spent parts of the 2005 and 2006 seasons at the game’s highest level with the St. Louis Cardinals, helping the Cardinals to a World Series title in 2006. The native of New York, New York retired in 2013 following an 18-year professional career that took him through five Major League organizations, two independent circuits, and leagues in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Mexico. The outfielder notched 1,661 hits, including 245 home runs, and finished his career with a cumulative batting average of .283.

Rodriguez’s final two professional seasons came in the American Association as a member of the Wichita Wingnuts in 2012 and 2013. Over the course of those two years, the left-handed hitter bludgeoned opposing pitchers to the tune of a .335 combined batting average, producing 44 doubles, 35 home runs, and 167 RBI. In 2013, Rodriguez and Clevlen led Wichita to the American Association Championship Series, where they fell to the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Rodriguez was selected as a 2013 American Association All-Star.
 
Rodriguez had a well-earned reputation as one of the league’s best clutch hitters, posting a .395 average in 13 career American Association playoff games while recording more walks than strikeouts.
 
The 42-year old Rodriguez serves in the offseason as Head of Baseball Operations and Head Hitting Instructor at the Yorkville Baseball Academy in New York City. He and his wife Evelyn have five children, sons Abie, Isiah, Jay Jay, and daughters Kayla and Madison.