Former Lansing Lugnuts manager Mike Redmond has been hired to replace Ozzie Guillen as skipper of the Miami Marlins. He agreed to a three-year contract.

Redmond was manager of the Lansing Lugnuts in 2011, when he was named Midwest League Manager of the Year and led the Lugnuts to the Midwest League Championship Series. His Midwest League roots also include playing with the Kane County Cougars in 1993 and 1994. He batted .254 in 135 games with the Cougars.

Even back when Redmond played with the Cougars (his first professional baseball team), he had a reputation for being a smart player and was already considered a potential future coach.

The back of Mike Redmond’s Cougars card mentioned his coaching potential.

In 1993, Redmond backed up future MLB All-Star catcher Charles Johnson, who hit .275 with 19 HR and 94 RBI in 135 games that year. (Fun fact about Johnson: Fred McGriff is his cousin.) One of their Cougars teammates was future MLB All-Star SS Edgar Renteria, who hit .203 with 1 HR and 35 RBI in 116 games with Kane County. Their manager was Carlos Tosca, who went on to manage the Toronto Blue Jays from 2002 to 2004.

In 1994, Redmond’s Kane County teammates included Kevin Millar (.302, 19 HR, 93 RBI in 135 games), Antonio Alfonseca (6-5, 4.07 ERA, 74 Ks in 86.1 IP) and Felix Heredia (4-5, 5.69 ERA, 65 Ks in 68 IP).

Redmond’s Lugnuts team included current Blue Jays RHP Drew Hutchison (6-2, 2.62 ERA, 84 Ks in 72 IP for Lansing) and several notable Blue Jays prospects.

Redmond will be the fourth different Opening Day manager in four years for the Marlins.