Wild Things manager Vaeth gets contract extension
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The Wild Things secured a key piece of their future as manager Tom Vaeth has agreed to a new contract that will keep him with Washington through the 2027 season. The club announced the extension Thursday.
Vaeth, who was set to begin the final season of his contract, is entering his fifth season as manager. He has guided the Wild Things to the playoffs three times, twice advancing to the Frontier League championship series.
Prior to Vaeth’s arrival in Washington, the Wild Things had made the playoffs only three times in the previous 12 years.
“I am incredibly excited and grateful to receive this extension. I want to sincerely thank the Williams family, general manager Tony Buccilli and the entire front office for their continued support and the trust they’ve placed in me to lead this organization,” Vaeth said in a release. “As we continue our pursuit of a Frontier League championship, I remain committed to putting the best possible product on the field for our fans and ensuring our players have the best experience possible here in Washington.
“I’d also like to thank all the fans, players, coaches and clubhouse staff who have made this job so rewarding. I’m proud to call the Washington Wild Things and the Washington community home and I look forward to even bigger and better things in the future. Let’s keep building something special.”
With Vaeth at the helm, the Wild Things have won three division titles. He has a 232-151 record. Last season, Washington had a franchise-best 67-28 record and advanced to the championship series before losing to Quebec in four games.
Vaeth is a native of Baltimore and spent 17 seasons as an assistant coach with Winnipeg of the independent American Association before being hired by Washington. With the Wild Things, Vaeth has managed a Frontier League MVP (Caleb McNeely, 2024), two Rookies of the Year (Ryan Hennen, 2021, and Kobe Foster, 2022) and a Pitcher of the Year (Hennen, 2021), five end-of-season all-stars and 15 midseason all-stars. Eleven of Vaeth’s players in Washington have gone on to play with an affiliated minor league team.
“It has been great to see the growth and development our organization has taken on the field under Tim’s Guidance,” said Wild Things president and general manager Tony Buccilli. “There is an aligned effort to consistently make the Wild Things a winning program, a destination location for athletes and a style of play that resonates with the region. We look forward to the continued partnership and the high-level product on the field.”