CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Appalachian League announced that Bristol’s Todd Steverson was named Manager of the Year.
Without a home ballpark for the 2024 season, Bristol instead played its 24 regular-season home games across six Appy League ballparks. The team used Tusculum University’s Pioneer Park, home of the Greeneville Flyboys, as its primary home field, playing eight home games there during the season. The State Liners were also accommodated for home games by Elizabethton, Johnson City and Kingsport from the West, as well as the Bluefield Ridge Runners and Pulaski River Turtles from the East.
“Todd did a great job with the ultra-important player development part of the Appalachian League under some tough circumstances. His teaching, coaching, instruction and leadership will benefit the Bristol players for years to come,” Appy League executive director Brian Graham said.
Steverson led Bristol to a strong start, winning its first three games and five of its first seven. During that stretch, they outscored their opponents 50-36, scoring 10 or more runs on three occasions. The State Liners scored double-digit runs in nine of their 17 victories.
Bristol’s offense paced the Appy League in home runs (26), with INF Tyler Zedalis’ seven homers ranking second in the circuit, and was fourth in walks (240). Defensively, State Liner catchers threw out 24 attempted base stealers this season, finishing tied for first in the Appy League.
RHPs Eli Edds (10 starts), Sam Cole (9) and Ethan Bobo (8) combined to start more than half of Bristol’s 46 games, with their totals rankings first, second and sixth (tied) in the Appy League. They finished similarly in innings, with Edds’ 47 2/3 IP leading all Appy League hurlers, followed by Cole (45, 2nd) and Bobo (39, 6th), and Edds also ranked second in the league with 50 strikeouts.
Under Steverson, Bristol INF Lee Ellis, OF Dylan Mass, RHP Miles Smith and Zedalis were selected for the 2024 Appy League West Select Roster, which played an exhibition contest against the Collegiate National Team as part of USA Baseball’s Summer Tour on July 2 in Johnson City, Tenn.
Steverson’s State Liners also produced a trio of Appy League All-Stars, with RHP Zach Neville, Mass and Smith all selected to represent the West in the July 23 game in Johnson City.
“It was a privilege and pleasure to work alongside with Todd this season and to get to know him as a person,” Bristol State Liners president and general manager Mahlon Luttrell said. “Todd brought another dimension of coaching and teaching to the young athletes that will be helpful to them in advancing their careers.“
Steverson, out of Arizona State, was a first-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1992 MLB Draft. After three seasons in the Minor Leagues, the Detroit Tigers selected the right-handed outfielder in the 1994 Rule 5 Draft and made their Opening Day roster in 1995. Steverson ultimately played 30 games during the '95 season before reaching the big leagues for one final game with the San Diego Padres in 1996.
After his playing career, Steverson spent a decade as a coach and then manager in the Minors before joining the Oakland Athletics' coaching staff for two seasons. He later served as the Chicago White Sox hitting coach from 2014-19. Steverson was named State Liners manager prior to the 2024 season.
Steverson is the seventh Bristol manager in franchise history to be named Appalachian League Manager of the Year and the first since Nick Leyva in 2002 (Bristol White Sox). A West Division manager has won the award in each year since the Appy League became a summer collegiate wooden bat league in 2021.
For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague and @appyleaguedata on Twitter, and @appyleague on Instagram.
