County Hires MLB Vet Spangenberg

A Clarks Summit native who played a decade in the Major Leagues is Lackawanna County’s new liaison with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees. The RailRiders’ home park is PNC Field in Moosic, which is owned by the Lackawanna County Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority.

Commissioners Matt McGloin and Bill Gaughan have named Cory Spangenberg, 33, of South Abington Twp., to be the administration’s outreach coordinator with the RailRiders. The part-time position pays $22,000 a year.

In that role, Spangenberg will work with the RailRiders and the authority to maintain clear lines of communication and will work on events and hospitality for county-related events.

Spangenberg starred at Abington Heights High School and was selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft from Indian River State College in Florida. In the Major Leagues, he played outfield, third base and second base for the Padres, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. He also played in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League for the Saitama Seibu Lions.

“The county is lucky to have a talented veteran of the Major Leagues onboard to ensure a great relationship between the county and the RailRiders,” McGloin said. “He knows the business and the language of the sport, and it gives him the opportunity to take his talents from the fields to the other side of the baselines.”