by Christopher Mason

NEWPORT, R.I. — The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) proudly celebrates a major milestone for one of its own, as former Newport Gulls player Tony Mansolino has been named interim manager of the Baltimore Orioles, the organization announced on May 17th.

This exciting news marks another proud moment for the NECBL, as Mansolino becomes the latest league alumnus to rise to a leadership role in Major League Baseball. 

A California native and former Vanderbilt third baseman, Mansolino was selected in the 26th round of the 2005 MLB Draft. He enjoyed a four-year career playing minor league ball, reaching Double-A with the Phillies’ affiliate, the Reading Fightin Phils, in 2008 as well as two years of independent league baseball. After hanging up his cleats in 2011, Mansolino wasted no time transitioning to coaching with the Cleveland Guardians' organization, beginning his coaching career in 2011 as the hitting coach for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, an Ohio based team in the MLB Draft League, where he coached future superstar Francisco Lindor. 

Mansolino’s first managerial opportunity came in 2016 with Low-A Lake County. He rose through the system, taking over manager duties of the Lynchburg Hillcats in 2017 and the Triple-A side Columbus Clippers, which he led the team to an international league championship in 2019. In 2020, he got his first taste of major league action due to coaching shifts within the Cleveland Guardians organization, Mansolino filled in as the third base coach, directing the Orioles’ gaze onto himself. Mansolino then joined Baltimore’s major league staff as a third base coach in 2021. Now at the helm as interim manager, Mansolino is tasked with guiding the Baltimore Orioles through the remainder of the season after Baltimore parted ways with skipper Brandon Hyde on May 17th.

In 2004, while with the Newport Gulls, Mansolino compiled 12 runs scored, 21 hits, nine RBIs, nine walks, and 24 total bases in 75 at-bats for the Gulls during the 2004 campaign. His defensive presence was just as impressive as he accounted for 40 putouts, 39 assists en route to six double plays while registering a .940 fielding percentage.

On the news of Mansolino’s appointment, Paiva congratulated his former player, stating, “Tony was our first player from Vanderbilt and truly built a solid foundation as a player with a high baseball acumen. He persevered through the minor leagues and worked his way to the majors. On behalf of the Gulls family, we wish Tony all the best as manager of the Baltimore Orioles.”

The NECBL congratulates Tony Mansolino and the Baltimore Orioles on this exciting next chapter and looks forward to watching one of its own lead at the game’s highest level.

Newport Gulls Release

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The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat college summer league that fields teams in all six New England states. Partially funded by Major League Baseball, the New England League started play in 1994 and has sent over 230 alumni to the Major Leagues with nearly 30 alumni taken in the first round of the MLB Draft. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.