ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. – The Elizabethton River Riders have announced their coaching staff for the 2026 Appalachian League season. Joining manager Jeremy Owens will be Josh Lucas as pitching coach, Andy Tomberlin as hitting coach, Tommy Gregg as fourth coach and Anibal Hernandez as trainer.
Josh begins his second season as pitching coach for Elizabethton and his third season as a pitching coach in the Appalachian League. Josh pitched at the Major League level for the Cardinals, A’s and Orioles. Josh was drafted in the 39th round by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2009 and again in the 21st round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010.
Josh played 13 years in professional baseball with the Cardinals, A’s, Orioles, Nationals and Diamondbacks. He was a Texas League All Star (Double-A) in 2016. Josh currently serves as director of player development for Total Sports Baseball and is an instructor at RBI Tri-Cities.
Andy begins his fifth season in the Appalachian League as hitting coach for Elizabethton. He is a former Major League outfielder for the Pirates, Red Sox, A’s, Mets and Tigers. Andy played 15 years in professional baseball with eight different organizations at the Minor League level.
Andy was a left-handed pitcher who was converted to a full-time outfielder. He hit 11 home runs in 192 career games at the Major League level and also pitched two innings for the Boston Red Sox in 1994. Andy was a career .292 hitter at the Minor League level with 1,048 games played, 110 HR, 473 RBI and 33 games pitched, posting a 7-2 record with a 4.01 ERA. After playing, Andy became a Minor League hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox and then a professional scout for the Milwaukee Brewers. He also served as the hitting coach for the German National Team.
Tommy begins his fourth season in the Appalachian League and his first with Elizabethton. Tommy was previously the manager at the Tri-State Coal Cats for two seasons and a coach for the Pulaski River Turtles.
Tommy played a total of 14 years in professional baseball, nine years as a Major League outfielder for the Pirates, Braves, Reds and Marlins. He was drafted by the Pirates out of Wake Forest in the seventh round of the 1985 MLB Draft. In 1990, Tommy led all of Major League Baseball pinch hitters in batting average, hits, home runs and RBI.
Tommy won two batting titles in the Minor Leagues (Double-A: 1987, Triple-A: 1997). He was a Minor League hitting coach for 21 seasons with the Braves, Cardinals, Royals and Marlins. Tommy also won two batting titles at Wake Forest and is a member of the Wake Forest Hall of Fame.
The Elizabethton River Riders' 2026 season begins June 5 against the Greeneville Flyboys in a two-game homestand at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. River Riders 2026 season tickets, bonus book and group tickets are available now by calling (423) 547-6443.
Additional information about the River Riders can be found at riverridersbaseball.com.
ABOUT ELIZABETHTON RIVER RIDERS
Elizabethton River Riders play their home games at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. The River Riders are owned and operated by Boyd Sports, LLC. Boyd Sports owns and operates several teams in the East Tennessee region and is committed to growth of baseball and providing affordable and fun family entertainment.
