ERIC COLEMAN

Eric Coleman will be back for his eleventh year as manager of the Danville Dans. Coleman set a personal mark of 300 victories with the Dans during the 2023 season. The team also recorded their 1,000th regular season win toward the end of the 2023 season.

Coleman's impact on Dans players is evident in the numbers. There have been six of his Dans players make it to the Majors, including recent call-up Will Klein with the Royals. A total of 32 players that played under Coleman's leadership have been selected in the MLB Draft -- including Landon Tomkins, Sam Whiting and Johnathon Thomas from the 2022 team that were selected in the 2023 draft. An additional 4 Dans signed professional contracts with major league farm systems following the draft.

Coleman has coached summer collegiate baseball in the New England Collegiate League, Northwoods League, Coastal Plains League, Texas Collegiate League and Perfect Game Collegiate League for 10 different years. He also spent time coaching in the Frontier League with the Midwest Sliders/Oakland County Cruisers and Joliet Slammers.

Eric Coleman has become part of the mystique of the Danville Dans, and we're glad to have him back in 2025.

RON POLK

When legendary college baseball coaches are discussed, the conversation will undoubtedly include the name Ron Polk. The Danville Dans are excited to have Coach Polk on their coaching staffing for the third year in a row in 2024. Polk has 52 years of experience coaching NCAA-D1 teams and has compiled one of the most successful winning records. His resume includes 1,373 wins, eight trips to the College World Series, six Hall of Fames inductions, and seven tours as a USA Baseball coach.

Polk’s connection to the Danville Dans goes back to the start of the current franchise. About 36 years ago, he first sent one of his staff to coach in Danville. He even traveled to Danville to be a guest speaker at a local sports banquet. “Our coaching staff and players will learn a lot from him.” said Rick Kurth, Danville Dans co-owner. “I believe his time here will lead to some pretty exciting games, too. After all, we’re all about player development and a fun time at the ballpark. It’s a genuine honor to have Ron Polk join the Danville Dans.” Coach Polk has coached at Georgia Southern University and University of Arizona but is most famous for his 29 years as head coach of the Mississippi State baseball team.  With a total of 31 seasons as a head coach in the SEC, Polk is often referred to as the "Father of Southeastern Conference Baseball." He has coached summer baseball in the Cape Cod League for the eight years previously, but wanted to get closer to home during the season. He offered to help out in Danville, and team management welcomed him with open arms. 

Polk’s unmatched expertise will benefit the college athletes from across the country who come to Danville, IL to develop their baseball skills during the upcoming Prospect League season. "Anytime you get to work with a baseball legend like Coach Polk, it's an honor,” said Dans manager, Eric Coleman. “His knowledge of the game is second to none. We couldn't be more excited for our players and coaches to learn from him this summer." Polk’s coaching technics get results. Nearly 200 of the players he has coached have signed professional baseball contracts, with 29 of those athletes played in Major League Baseball. Eight of those major leaguers were first round draft picks. This success is why his textbook, The Baseball Playbook, is the chosen teaching tool at 450 colleges and has sold more than 125,000 copies.

Jacob Ferguson 

Jacob Ferguson  joins the Dans coaching staff as the 2024 pitching coach.

Ferguson is an Assistant Pitching Coach at Dupage Basball, where he focuses on development of the pitching staff and creating comprehensive scouting reports. Previously, he was Head Coach of the Islanders in the Pacific Coast Collegiate League (PCCL), where he led the team to a 2nd place finish and handled all aspects of game-day management and individual player development. His experience also includes prior coaching roles at Judson University and Trinity International University, where he contributed to recruitment efforts, scouting reports, video analysis as well as pitchers individual development. 

Ferguson began his collegiate playing career at College of DuPage from 2018-2021 before transferring to Trinity International University from 2021-2023.

Aaron J. Eshelman

Aaron Eshelman is the new Hitting Coach for the Dans

Eshelman brings 8 years of college baseball experience including 5 as a player and 3 as coach. His coaching experience includes stints at Missouri Western State University (D2), The University of Texas Permian Basin (D2) and Southeastern University (NAIA) where he currently serves as a Graduate Assistant working with hitters, baserunners, and outfielders. In 2024 at UTPB he was on a staff that recorded the first NCAA tournament win in program history. The team hit .338 and led the country in doubles, setting numerous program records. Eshelman has also been an assistant coach in the M.I.N.K. summer league (2022) with the Des Moines Peak Prospects, and in the Mid-Plains League with the Junction City Brigade (2023). In Des Moines the organization reached the league playoffs for the first time, and in Junction City set the league record for wins on the way to a championship.