Coaching Staff

Mitch Darlington - Head Coach

Entering his fifth season as head coach, Mitch Darlington looks to deliver the AppleSox’ sixth WCL Championship in 2026. The ‘Sox skipper led the team to their fourth straight playoff berth in 2025 and the WCL Championship Game in 2024 for the first time since 2013. Last summer, Wenatchee went 31-23 before falling to Bellingham in game three of the North Division Series. 

The Leavenworth native is the only AppleSox skipper to reach the postseason in each of his first four campaigns. Of Wenatchee’s six in franchise history, Darlington became the only head coach to qualify for the postseason in his first year at the helm when he accomplished the feat in 2022. Darlington’s 130 regular-season victories are the second most in AppleSox history, and under his leadership, the team led the club to three straight 30-win seasons in 2023-25, a feat never before achieved by the club. 

In his first three campaigns, the AppleSox broke their club record for walks drawn each consecutive year. In 2024, the club became the first to win the first half and secure the first seed in the North Division since the two-half playoff format was adopted in 2016. Last summer, the ‘Sox broke records for hit by pitches (83), most hits in a single game (26), and most total bases in a single game (35). Wenatchee also shattered single-season offensive records for on-base percentage (.404), RBI (332), and walks (312) in 2024. Wenatchee led the WCL in strikeouts (pitchers) (459) in 2025 and scored the most runs in the WCL from 2022-24 (1,118). The club also led the WCL in runs (380) and batting average (.283) in 2024. The AppleSox broke single-season team records for walks, runs, stolen bases, and RBI in 2022 and then proceeded to break team records for home victories (21), home game-winning streak in league play (12), three-game series sweeps (eight), most home runs hit in a league game (four on July 13), and walks drawn (299) in 2023. 

In Darlington’s inaugural season with the AppleSox, they won the North Division Second Half title and swept the Kamloops NorthPaws in the 2022 North Division Semifinals, marking the franchise’s first postseason series win since 2013. The 2023 AppleSox built on that success, winning 10 more games than the previous year and finishing with 37 league victories, tied for the second-best regular-season record in team history. 

Across Darlington’s four seasons, 12 AppleSox players have earned West Coast League Player of the Week, while 19 players have been named to All-WCL teams. Second baseman Joichiro Oyama shared the 2022 WCL MVP after setting four single-season franchise records. In 2024, Aidan Dougherty captured the WCL batting crown with a .380 average.

From 2018 to 2021, Darlington coached top high school athletes at the Baseball Northwest Championships, helping guide them toward collegiate baseball opportunities. He also served as an assistant coach at Big Bend Community College from 2017 to 2019 and was the head coach of the Burlington Barn Owls in the Cascade Collegiate League during the 2019 season.

A 2012 graduate of Cashmere High School, Darlington continued his baseball career at Big Bend Community College before transferring to Central Washington. He currently works as the athletic director and physical education teacher at Mansfield High School and resides in Chelan with his wife, Marina, and their sons, Dash and Drue.

QUINCY VASSAR - PITCHING COACH

Quincy Vassar is entering his second season as the pitching coach for the AppleSox. Vassar spent the WCL offseason at Vanguard University where he just graduated, earning his teaching certificate in elementary education.

The Tonasket native aided skipper Mitch Darlington in reaching his fourth straight playoff berth. Vassar’s expertise was vital to the pitching staff, guiding them to lead the WCL in strikeouts (459). His bullpen’s success did not go unnoticed, as three of his arms, Carson Boesel, Joe Thornton, and Mitch Haythorn, were named All-Stars. Haythorn earned special awards after the 2025 WCL All-Star Game, being selected as the Top Prospect for the North Division.

Vassar began his college career at Bellevue CC in 2021 and posted a 1.91 ERA with 29 strikeouts. He then transferred to Vanguard University as a sophomore in 2022, picking up 24 punch outs with nine walks over 26.1 innings. Vassar continued to stay hot on the mound, recording a 3-2 record with 41 strikeouts as a junior, and then wrapped up his playing career with 33 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 2024. 

Vassar’s been a consistent presence in Wenatchee since 2022 and is one of the most decorated pitchers in AppleSox history. After playing three years with the ‘Sox, he now holds the all-time strikeout (125) and innings pitched (131.2) records. In his final season with Wenatchee, Vassar earned All-WCL Second Team honors, tossed two complete games, and was fourth-best in the WCL in ERA (2.92). 

IAN SAGDAL - ASSISTANT COACH

The Wenatchee AppleSox are thrilled to announce that Ian Sagdal has officially joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach for the upcoming 2026 season. A native of Wenatchee, Sagdal brings a wealth of playing experience from his collegiate and professional years to the ‘Sox.

“Ian is an A+ hire for us,” said AppleSox Head Coach Mitch Darlington. “His prior playing experience, not only at the Division 1 level but also professionally, will be a huge asset to our players. Ian being a Wenatchee local and former standout at Washington State was a huge factor in this hire. He knows the rich history of success with the AppleSox organization and will be the perfect fit for this coaching staff.”

Born and raised in East Wenatchee, he excelled in youth leagues before going on to distinguish himself at the high school level. In his sophomore season, Sagdal batted an impressive .476 and was named All-Columbia Basin Big Nine First Team second baseman. As a senior, he kept the hot bat alive, hitting .435 and earning All-South Puget Sound League honorable mention as a shortstop. Sagdal also showed incredible success on the mound, throwing his first ever no-hitter. 

“Ian was very determined that he was going to be a professional baseball player,” stated his high school coach, Brandon Schmitten. “He worked relentlessly all the time and was one of the hardest workers I’ve been around. When he first joined the team, he was small, but in his sophomore and junior seasons, he worked through an eight-inch growth spurt and became a beast. The thing I remember the most about Ian was that he was a great shortstop and hitter, but you could really see his grit and determination on the mound, where he eventually became our #1 starter.”

After graduating in 2011, Sagdal decided to stay in state and play for the Washington State Cougars for four years. At WSU, he established himself as a key infielder and a consistent presence in the lineup. Sagdal was thrown right into the lineup once joining, as he had 50 starts his freshman year. As a sophomore, he batted .253 with 23 hits, three of which were triples, which tied for the most on the team. In his junior season, Sagdal established himself not only in the field and at the plate but also on the basepaths, where he was a perfect five-for-five in stolen bases.

However, his senior year, in particular, was marked by standout performance. Sagdal led the Cougars in batting average (.298), home runs (6), RBIs (34), doubles (13), runs scored (35), and stolen bases (13), becoming the first player in over two decades to lead the team in all of those categories. He also tied for second in the PAC-12 conference for triples (5) and was ninth in slugging percentage (.498). Sagdal bounced around the infield in his time with WSU, playing every position, but settled in at second base as a senior, where he earned All-PAC-12 Conference honorable mention.

Following the conclusion of his senior season, Sagdal got the call to the Big Leagues in the 16th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, as the Washington Nationals selected him as the 494th overall pick. He spent six years in the minors, advancing as high as the Double-A level with the Harrisburg Senators. During his time with the Senators, Sagdal played alongside notable Major League players like Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon. Through his six years in the minors, Sagdal batted .277 with 556 hits, earning three MiLB Organization All-Star Awards.

After his rookie contract expired, Sagdal decided to continue playing ball and joined the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the American Association. After having a successful season there, batting .317, he moved onto a winter league team called the Mayos de Navojoa in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, where he would play his last season of baseball.

When he retired, Sagdal took a three-year break from the game, but it didn’t last long, as he got the itch to come back to baseball after coaching an 11u team in Woodinville. After that, he was hooked and quickly became a part of the Edmonds Community College coaching staff, where he currently serves as an assistant coach. When he’s not coaching, Sagdal is spending time with his wife, Hailey, and their corgi, Rally.

Reflecting on his new role, Sagdal expressed his excitement: “I can’t wait to be around that home park. I have so many fond memories of watching the games and collecting foul balls so that I can use them for my own batting practice. Every time I’m back there, I find there’s something about that field and that crowd that just gives you goosebumps. And I’m just so happy that Mitch Darlington is trusting me and bringing me in to continue to put championship product on that field.”

Sagdal will join pitching coach, Quincy Vassar, on head coach Mitch Darlington’s staff. Darlington is now entering his fifth year as head coach with Wenatchee and looks to bring another playoff run back to the ‘Sox. He looks forward to another year at Paul Thomas, the ballpark atmosphere, and the fans.