Michael Oros Returns for a Ninth Season Leading the Generals
January 4, 2023 – The Victoria Generals announced today that head coach Michael Oros will return for his ninth season as the Generals take the field for the 2023 season. Also returning to help lead the Generals is Rusty Pendergrass who will be in this third season as an assistant for the Generals. The Generals will be celebrating their 15th season in the Texas Collegiate League as they look to chase another Texas Collegiate League Championship.
“We are excited to have Michael returning once again. His leadership and tenacity for the game of baseball is unmatched and is an easy choice to lead the Generals once again in 2023,” commented Mike Yokum, Generals Vice President and General Manager. “Michael and Rusty work extremely well together and will continue to build a strong presence within the Victoria community outside of just coaching with community involvement and impactful Summer camps for local youth."
Oros, as a player, joined the Generals in the Summer of 2009 out of San Jacinto Junior College where he saw limited action as a freshman. The Generals allowed Oros to develop that first summer with 30 innings of work, compiling a 3-0 record, 1.53 ERA allowing only 5 earned runs with 26 strikeouts. His second season with the Generals, Oros was moved to a starter making 8 starts, tossed 53.1 innings, 2.19 ERA allowing 15 runs, a team leading 49 strikeouts while compiling a 4-1 record. Oros transferred to Sam Houston State University his junior season where he tossed 40.2 innings in relief. His final season as a General, Oros made 12 starts, 69.1 innings pitched with 48 strikeouts while compiling a 3-3 record. Oros is the Generals franchise record holder in wins (10), starts (24), innings pitched (152.0) and strikeouts (123). Oros finished up his collegiate career at Sam Houston as their number one pitcher compiling an 8-1 record with a 2.52 ERA in 78.2 innings of work his senior season.
Oros would go on to play professional baseball for two seasons with the White Sands Pupfish of the Pecos League and the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League. Oros was the Freedom team leader in innings pitched with 87 innings as well as strikeouts with 80. Oros led the Frontier League in ERA with a 2.16 ERA while also being selected as a Frontier League All-Star. This will be Oros' 9th season as head coach and his 13th season with the Generals organization. Oros has compiled a career coaching record with the Generals of 213-165-2 and is the all-time leader in career coaching wins in Texas Collegiate League history.
Rusty Pendergrass will head into his third season with the coaching staff in 2023. Pendergrass brings a wealth of baseball experience and knowledge of the game of baseball to the Generals coaching staff. Pendergrass was the head baseball coach for Houston Baptist University for five seasons (1992-1997) before becoming a Major League Baseball scout for the Houston Astros (2000-2011) and later with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2011-2020). After retiring from scouting in 2020, Pendergrass wanted to stay connected with the game of baseball and joined the Generals for the 2021 season.
The Victoria Generals will play 48 games in 2023 with 24 of the games being played here in Victoria at Riverside Stadium with our first home game scheduled for Sunday, June 4th. Special Buy One/Get One Free Season ticket packages are available for a limited time at the Victoria Generals Team Shop located at 1301 E. Airline in the Town and Country Shopping Center. New 2023 Generals gear is also available at the Generals Team Shop. The 2023 schedule has been released and can be viewed on the Generals website at www.victoriagenerals.com. Follow the Generals on Facebook and Twitter for further updates on the upcoming season.
