Railroaders Name Clevlen Manager

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CLEBURNE, Texas (Nov. 9, 2018) – The Cleburne Railroaders announced Friday that native Texan and former Major Leaguer Brent Clevlen has been named Field Manager ahead of the 2019 season.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of building a winning culture in Cleburne,” Clevlen said. “As a native Texan, it feels like a perfect fit to be back in a community with such a rich baseball history. I look forward to adding to that history this season and for years to come.”

Following a record-setting career as a player, Clevlen made his managerial debut in 2018 with the Wichita Wingnuts, leading the club to a 61-39 record. That mark was the best in American Association history for a team that did not qualify for the postseason, as the Wingnuts finished 1.5 games behind the eventual champion Kansas City T-Bones for the final playoff spot in the South Division.

Clevlen’s playing career spanned 16 professional seasons and more than 1,700 total hits. A former second round draft pick, he spent parts of four seasons in the major leagues, three with the Detroit Tigers and one with the Atlanta Braves. Clevlen played seven seasons with the Wingnuts, becoming the franchise’s career leader in virtually every offensive category. In 398 games, Clevlen amassed 513 hits, including 132 doubles and 71 home runs, driving in 312 runs while scoring 315 of his own. Each mark tops the Wingnuts all-time leaderboard, while the doubles total places him sixth in American Association history. His best season in a Wichita uniform came as a part of the Wingnuts 2014 championship campaign, when he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player with a .372 average and 20 home runs.

Clevlen, 35, resides in Austin with his wife Amanda and sons Brady and Cameron.

The 3rd season of Railroaders baseball and the club’s pursuit of its first division title kicks off with a four-game home series against the Sioux Falls Canaries, beginning on Thursday, May 16. For information on partnerships, season tickets, group outings, and party packages, call the Railroaders main office at (817) 945-8705, or visit the Railroaders official website at www.railroaderbaseball.com.