GRANVILLE, W.Va. – The West Virginia Black Bears are excited to announce Tim Garland has been named manager for the 2026 MLB Draft League season. Garland becomes the eighth manager in Black Bears history after spending the last four seasons as a bench coach in the Detroit Tigers organization.
“I’m looking forward to this opportunity to manage in the [MLB] Draft League,” said Garland. “We’re going to get out there and play hard, execute well, and really emphasize the fundamentals of baseball. We want to have a winning season, and we want to win the right way.”
Having spent the past two summers with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, this will be Garland’s first time stepping into a managerial role. The Baltimore, Maryland, native was previously bench coach of the FCL Tigers (2022) and the West Michigan Whitecaps (2023) under manager and former big-league catcher Brayan Peña.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Tim this year,” said General Manager Leighann Sainato. “He has nearly forty years of combined experience as a professional athlete and coach, as well as a ‘player-first’ mentality that we know will lead to success. With Tim at the helm, we look forward to another great season of Black Bears baseball at Kendrick Family Ballpark.”
A former outfielder, Garland was drafted in 1989 by the New York Yankees and played in the minors for the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and Oakland Athletics. During his two-year stint with the Giants High-A affiliate in San Jose (now Single-A), Garland set the team record for stolen bases in a season with 65 in 80 attempts. Upon retirement, Garland became a hitting coach, working with the A’s and Houston Astros, before he joined the Tigers organization in 2017.
Garland takes the reins from friend and former West Virginia manager Jon Nunnally, who led the Bears to their third championship in four seasons in 2025.
“What [Nunnally] accomplished last year was incredible, and I’m ready to continue that winning tradition,” said Garland. “My expectations are high because I expect to get the most out of everyone on and off the field. They’re not just expected to be good baseball players, but good people, as part of this program.”
The Black Bears begin their defense of the MLB Draft League title on June 2 at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field against the Williamsport Crosscutters. West Virginia returns to Kendrick Family Ballpark for the Home Opener on Tuesday, June 9, versus the Trenton Thunder. Opening Day features a 2025 championship logo hat giveaway and postgame fireworks presented by WVU Medicine. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.
