Jonathan Burns - Assistant Coach
The Victoria Generals announced today that Jonathan Burns has been named the team’s new assistant baseball coach for the 2013 summer season. Burns, who is currently the pitching coach at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, will coach alongside Generals new head coach Stephen Flora this summer.
“We are thrilled to have Jonathan join our staff for the summer,” commented Blake Koch, Victoria’s vice president and general manager. “Coach Burns has a great deal of playing and coaching experience in college and professional baseball. Our players will benefit greatly from the opportunity to learn from him.”
Burns is currently in his first year as the pitching coach at A&M-Kingsville which has been ranked as high as #10 in the country in NCAA Division II baseball this season.
The current A&M-Kingsville pitching staff is made up of four former Generals who are all having terrific seasons under the tutelage of Burns. The staff is highlighted by ace right-hander Dallas Ponder, a native of Flatonia, who is currently 7-0 on the season and is one of the frontrunners for the Pitcher of the Year award not only in the Lone Star Conference, but in the nation. Ponder has a 2.04 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 57.1 innings.
The other three former Generals on the pitching staff at Kingsville, Jeremy Flores, Denver Diefenbach, and Tres Tyler, are all natives of Victoria and the surrounding area as well. Flores, the Kingsville closer, has seven saves and a 2.75 ERA to go along with 19 strikeouts in 19 innings. Diefenbach leads the team in appearances with 17 and also has two saves. Tyler carries a 3.18 ERA in 11.1 innings pitched with 12 strikeouts.
Burns made a name for himself as a player at Cisco Junior College and St. Edward’s University. Burns was an all-region performer at Cisco as he helped guide the school to its first ever regional appearance.
As a senior at St. Edward’s, Burns established himself as one of the best closers in the country by posting a record of 7-4 to go along with six saves. Burns struck out 54 batters in 49.1 innings.
His success on the mound in college led to him being selected in the 26th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft by the Atlanta Braves. Burns played two seasons in the Braves minor league system before retiring to start his coaching career.
Burns spent a season at St. Edward’s as a volunteer assistant coach in 2012 before becoming the pitching coach at A&M Kingsville last fall.
Burns and the Generals will kick off the 2013 Texas Collegiate League season on May 30thon the road against the Woodlands Strykers.
Season tickets for the Victoria Generals 2013 season are on sale now as the Generals prepare for their home opener against the Texas Marshals on Tuesday, June 4 at 7:05pm at Riverside Stadium. Fans can buy season tickets and team merchandise at the Generals team store located at 1307 East Airline Road, Suite H in the Town & Country Shopping Center, online at www.VictoriaGenerals.com, or by calling 361-485-9522.
