LONG BEACH — The Long Beach Baseball Club on Thursday announced that former Angels relief pitcher Troy Percival has been named the team’s first manager.
The hiring of Percival, a four-time All-Star and the closer for the Angels’ 2002 World Series championship team, is a significant milestone for the new franchise that will begin play in the independent Pioneer League in May 2026.
“Troy Percival represents everything we want this team to stand for – leadership, integrity, and an unrelenting competitive spirit,” LBCC president Ena Patel said in a press release. “He has won at the highest level, developed young players, and built strong communities through the game. We’re thrilled he’s leading us from day one.”
The Long Beach Baseball Club, which will play its games at Blair Field, is preparing for its inaugural season in the Pioneer League, which has 12 other teams in California, Idaho, Montana and Utah. The club plans to unveil its name, colors, and additional team details in the months ahead.
Percival played 14 major league seasons from 1995-2009, pitching for the Angels, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Rays. As one of the premier closers of his era, he recorded 358 career saves, ranking among MLB’s top 15 all-time when he retired.
Since retiring, Percival has focused on coaching and player development at multiple levels. He was the head coach at UC Riverside from 2014-2020 before resigning to focus on his son’s pro career. He managed the Pioneer League’s Idaho Falls Chukars for two seasons, starting in 2024, and was involved in the team’s day-to-day operations, including player recruitment (independent league teams must find their own players, rather than major league parent clubs acquiring and assigning them).
“Southern California is home, and Long Beach has an incredible baseball history and community,” Percival said in a statement through the team. “This opportunity to build a team from the ground up, to establish a culture that values hard work, teamwork, and pride in representing this city, is something truly special.”
The club also announced that former Angels third baseman Troy Glaus will join Percival’s staff as an assistant coach. Glaus, a UCLA product, played the first seven of his 13 major-league seasons with the Angels before continuing his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals.
Percival will continue assembling his full coaching staff in the months ahead.
Current PBL franchises include the Oakland Ballers, Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers in California; the Glacier Range Riders, Great Falls Voyagers, Billings Mustangs and Missoula PaddleHeads in Montana; the Boise Hawks and the Idaho Falls Chukars, the Grand Junction Jackalopes (relocating in 2026), Rocky Mountain Vibes and Ogden Raptors in Utah and a new team coming to Modesto for the 2026 season (which will be managed by another former Angel – J.T. Snow).
