Combs named new Marlins GM
MOREHEAD CITY, NC – The two-time defending Coastal Plain League champion Morehead City Marlins have announced the hiring of a new General Manager for the franchise, Ross Combs. Combs will oversee the business operations of the Marlins, including ticket and sponsorship sales, as well as working to increase the Marlins’ presence in the Morehead City community.
Originally from Bunker Hill, West Virginia, Combs brings eight years of Minor League Baseball experience to the Marlins, most recently spending two years as the Director of Sales for the Lansing (Michigan) Lugnuts, the single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. A 2015 graduate of Fairmont State University (Fairmont, WV) with a degree in Business Administration/Sports Management, Combs started his Minor League Baseball career with the Hagerstown (Maryland) Suns, the single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. With the Suns, he was named Sales Executive of the Year by the South Atlantic League in 2017 for his sponsorship and group sales efforts.
“We want to make Big Rock Stadium your first thought for fun, family entertainment,” Combs said. “We’ve been champions on the field, and I look forward to continuing the momentum of the last few seasons to make sure that we are champions for the community off the field.”
“Our entire organization is excited to have someone of Ross’s experience coming to lead our front office,” Marlins owner Buddy Bengel said. “We received a lot of interest, but Ross’s background in Minor League Baseball and his familiarity with the Crystal Coast was a huge win for the Marlins. I am excited for this season and for Ross to get out and meet this great community.”
Combs has vacationed with his family in Morehead City since 2013 and is looking forward to making the Crystal Coast his permanent home.
“I’m really excited to work with Buddy Bengel, Rich Mackesy and the rest of the Marlins’ front office team,” Combs said. “To be able to work and live in an area where my family and I love to vacation is like a dream come true. Baseball and the beach – it doesn’t get any better than that!”
The Morehead City Marlins welcome Ross Combs to the franchise. Ticket packages for the 2021 season are available now at mhcmarlins.com.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Heading into its 25th season in 2021, the CPL features 15 franchises playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. To date, the CPL has had over 1,450 alumni drafted and 118 alums — including 2017 ALCS MVP, 2017 World Series champion, 2012 AL MVP and Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander, as well as former Marlin and 2017 NLCS MVP Chris Taylor — make their Major League debut. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @CPLBaseball.