PRINCETON, W.Va. – The Princeton WhistlePigs announced Patrick Anderson will lead the team for the 2021 season. Anderson rejoins the Appalachian League as a manager with coaching experience that dates back more than two decades, including seven years of managerial experience.

“I am very thankful to the city of Princeton, the Appalachian League, Major League Baseball and USA Baseball for this opportunity to manage and aid in developing young collegiate players across the country who hope to achieve their ultimate dreams of playing professional baseball,” Anderson said. “I have been fortunate to help develop young prospects for more than 25 years and I am excited to continue this journey as part of the Prospect Development Pipeline. Our Club will be exciting to watch. Our philosophy is to be aggressive in all aspects of the game and play the game the right way. I anxiously await meeting everyone who comes out to the ballpark to support the WhistlePigs!”

“We are thrilled to welcome Patrick Anderson to Princeton as our manager for the 2021 season,” said Princeton WhistlePigs general manager Danny Shingleton. “Patrick has had success at every level he has coached and has emphasized a culture of development that aligns with the values of the new Appalachian League. He is a tremendous addition to our WhistlePigs family and we cannot wait to watch him lead this team this summer.”

Anderson most recently served as the manager for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns (Washington Nationals) where he led the club to a 428-399 cumulative record in his six years at the helm. In 2016, the team finished with an 83-57 record, finishing atop the South Atlantic League.

He began his coaching career in 1996 at Gannon University as an assistant coach before holding the same position at Hofstra University from 1999-2001. Anderson then returned to Hofstra as the head coach from 2009-11 after spending nine years at various levels of the Kansas City Royals organization, including a season as the hitting coach of the Burlington Royals in the Appalachian League.

Anderson first joined the Nationals organization in 2013 as the club’s Gulf Coast League manager, where he led the team to a first-place finish in the division with a 49-9 regular-season record and followed with an undefeated postseason run, winning a championship and finishing the year 62-9. Anderson then took over the Hagerstown Suns in 2013.

Before starting his coaching career, Anderson played at Mars Hill College and spent three seasons in the Frontier League, where he hit .287 in 181 games.

The WhistlePigs will begin the 2021 season at home at H.P. Hunnicutt Field on June 3 as they host the Burlington Sock Puppets. Fans can view the entire 2021 schedule on the official WhistlePigs website.