Former Long Island Ducks Pitching Coach Billy Horn Lands Managerial Gig with Normal CornBelters

By Jerry Del Priore

Last week, former Long Island Ducks (Atlantic League) pitching coach Billy Horn inked a contract with the Normal CornBelters, a professional baseball team in the independent Frontier League.

This will be Horn’s first stint as a manger. Last season, in addition to regular pitching coach duties with the Ducks, he assisted in player procurement related activities under manager Kevin Baez.

Horn, 38, had the task of coaching eight Duck pitchers with MLB experience, one of which won a Cy Young Award, Eric Gange, in 2003, while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Horn enjoyed tremendous success as Long Island’s pitching coach, helping three hurlers get signed by MLB organizations in 2017.

Horn severed in the same role with for the Ottawa Champions of the Canadian American League (CanAm), winning a championship with the team in 2016.

The Bronx, New York, native began his coaching career as the pitching coach for Lynn University, his alma mater, in 2009, helping the squad to an NCAA National Championship while coaching First Team All-American Dan Wright and current New York Yankee, Tommy Kahnle

Horn played for years for the Fighting Knights, from 1998 through 2001, pitching in 38 contests for a total of 71.0 frames.

The CornBelters begin the 2018 season on Friday, May 11 at 7:05 p.m. against the Traverse City Beach Bums.