The Teacher in Horner Shines as Marauders’ Manager

As the Bradenton Marauders’ manager in 2025, Jim Horner is right where he wants to be.

There’s a comfort for Marauders players, fans, and front office staff in having Horner back in leading the club for a second consecutive Florida State League season. Next to Twin Falls, Idaho, where Horner and his family reside in the off-season, Bradenton is a city he knows well.

First coming to “The Friendly City” as a coach with the Marauders for the 2021 season, then managing the Florida Complex League club over at Pirate City in 2023, and taking over the top spot on the field with the Marauders in 2024 is a natural progression that has gone well.

Horner’s arms-length resume would impress any player development leader. The Washington State native is happiest when teaching, and he isn't shy about saying so. Seeing young players grow professionally excites him.

“Managing at this level (Class-A) requires a balanced approach, “says Horner, who was a catcher for nine seasons, who reached as high as Triple-A, in the Seattle Mariners’ organization. “You want to win, but at the same time you need to balance your approach towards development. I enjoy teaching players at this age. They have a hunger to learn.”

Since arriving in Bradenton for spring training, Horner remains laser-focused on making the “Pirates of Tomorrow” reach their athletic potential. The example he sets and the dedication on display, hopefully, is contagious with those on Bradenton’s roster.

With his youngest of four children, Reagan,18, still in school, not until a month or so after the Marauders’ schedule is underway will she and his wife Katie make their way to Southwest Florida. For now, when not working with his players, whom he estimates are between 18 and 20 years old, Horner remains sold on a rigid schedule.

Reporting to LECOM Park by 2:00 p.m., at the earliest during home dates, Horner can be seen working on defense with his squad. The clubhouse usually opens by 1:00 p.m., and the Marauders have the field between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. for batting practice. As all managers and coaches in minor league ball do, Horner makes himself available for all wanting extra work on their game.

Pirates’ top draft selection last year, Konnor Griffin, is on the Marauders’ roster. As part of the team’s “good mix” of newcomers and those with experience in the FSL, citing infielders Jhonny Severino and Yordany De Los Santos among the veterans, Horner speaks optimistically of potential contributions to come from Griffin.

“He (Griffin) is an exciting player; an elite athlete,” Horner says. “We’re going to work with him at shortstop and center field. What I’ve seen, Konnor is a quick learner. He’s built like A-Rod.”

With nine seasons as a player in the Mariners’ minor league system and a matching nine managing for them, when Horner offers a compliment at the level of comparing Griffin to Alex Rodriguez, opposing FSL clubs will be the judges on the validity of the comparison. Griffin has also been called upon to be a designated hitter this season.

When pressed on whether he, like his players, aspires to move up the affiliate chain to ultimately become one of the Pirates, surprisingly, Horner doesn’t have such a goal on his radar. He genuinely enjoys the task of making each individual Marauder better than when they first arrived.

Bradenton’s pitching coach, Renny Duarte, has been part of Horner’s staff since 2023. Same for catching coach Gustavo Omana. The Marauders' 2025 season is Omana’s fourth straight in Bradenton. Alexa DeHaeseleer, the club’s athletic trainer, returns to Bradenton for her third straight tour of duty.

The Marauders are enjoying their first homestand of their season this week. The visiting Palm Beach Cardinals (St. Louis affiliate) are in town through Sunday. Marauders’ games can be heard at BradentonMarauders.com and seen on MLB.TV.