Rich Gedman will be in his sixth season as skipper of the Tornadoes. Gedman, 51, guided Worcester to their second straight playoff appearance and a spot in the Can-Am League championship series. He has skippered the club since its inception, including leading the team to the 2005 Can-Am League Championship in its first year of existence.

He played 1,033 games over 13 seasons with three major league clubs. A catcher, Gedman was The Sporting News' American League Rookie of the Year in 1981 and was the starting catcher on the Red Sox' 1986 American League championship team. The Worcester native was a two-time American League All-Star (1985-1986), and played in 18 postseason games, posting a .292 average with 3 home runs. He also caught the first nine innings of the “Longest Game,” the 33-inning marathon between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings in 1981. After 10-plus seasons in Boston, Gedman played part of one season in Houston and two more in St. Louis.

In 2003, he joined the coaching staff of the North Shore Spirit and helped to lead the club to two playoff appearances in their first two seasons.