The Swift Current 57's have a new head coach.
The WCBL club turned over the reins to former assistant coach Ruddy Estrella.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to be the head coach for the Swift Current 57’s," Estrella said in a team media release. "The team has a history of winning behind it, and I am up for the challenge to bring that back. I have family that ties me to the city and the community, so it means a lot to me to be coming back."
Estralla joined the 57's last season as a member of Jayson Veyna's staff.
He was an assistant coach for the Regina Red Sox in the 2019 and their pitching coach in 2022. Regina won WCBL East Division titles in each of those seasons.
Estralla then spent the 2023 season as head coach with the Brooks Bombers. They went 17-39 during his tenure.
The 57's went 16-39 in 2024, and Estrella is eager to change their fortunes.
"I have the opportunity to put up a team that I believe can compete in this league," he said. "I’ve already been working hard to recruit high caliber players to put us in the position to be back in playoffs. We will be announcing some returning players and new players soon that have already committed.”
Estralla is an assistant coach at Trinidad State College in Colorado.
According to his bio on the college website, the New York native grew up playing baseball in the Dominican Republic. He spent two seasons pitching for Western Oklahoma State College, where he had a 1.23 ERA in 16 appearances.
Estralla then pitched for the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, helping them to their first world series appearance.
The WCBL season starts in late May.