The Johnstown Mill Rats named Tyler Smith as the fifth manager of the Prospect League team Friday.
The Mill Rats will begin their sixth season in 2026.
A native of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Smith assembled the roster and managed the fledgling Flag City Sluggers in the Great Lakes Collegiate League this past summer.
The Sluggers finished 20-20 and placed fourth in the four-team North Division. The Milwaukee Brewers selected one of Smith’s players, catcher Rylan Mills, in the 18th round round of the 2025 Major League Baseball draft.
Smith currently serves as head coach – and formerly was an assistant coach – at Three Rivers College. He’s been with the program since 2015 and was promoted to head coach in 2021. In 2024, his team went 33-23, the program’s best record since 1993.
As head coach of the Paragould American Legion baseball program from May 2015 through August 2024, Smith led teams to an Arkansas state championship (2023), Midsouth Regional runner-up (2023) and Arkansas state runner-up (2022) finish. He also coached future sixth-round draft pick P.J. Hilson.
During his playing career as a catcher, Smith was with the Rockford Aviators in the professional Frontier League from 2013 through 2015. He also played for the Lincoln Saltdogs in the American Association of Professional Baseball (2014-15), including his role on the 2014 Central Division title run.
Smith played collegiately at Arkansas State University and Three Rivers Community College. The Kansas City Royals signed him as a free agent catcher out of Arkansas State in 2011.
His professional career included rookie baseball in the Pioneer League and Low Class A in the Midwest League. Smith was on the Class Triple-A Omaha roster during 2012 spring training until an injury sidelined him.
Smith will be the fourth Mill Rats field manager in as many seasons.
He will replace Sean Stevens, who led Johnstown to a 26-29 record in 2025, including a loss in the divisional title game.
Josh Merrill led the Mill Rats to a 26-30 mark in 2024, with a postseason setback. Tyler Sullivan is the only manager to spend two seasons with the club, going 53-65 in 2022 and 2023.
Parker Lynn managed the inaugural Mill Rats team to a 24-34 mark in 2021.
