Ronald Elmore is back!!

OK, he isn’t BACK, back. But the 31-year old former Warrior slugger has been hired by the organization to become a minor league hitting coach. The team released a statement saying he would be initially assigned to the High-A Rapid City Rushmores for the upcoming 2019 season. His first task will be to turn around an offense that rated 12^th of 14 teams in the NAFTA last season.

Elmore is of course best known for being a Rule 5 draft success story for the Warriors. He was selected in the third round of the 2011 Rule 5 draft by the pre-Bong regime after being somewhat buried in a loadedAurora Borealis farm system. The outfielder took advantage of his second chance, hitting .287 with 20 homers for a last place Duluth club in 2012. The new front office put in place after the 2012 season made whole sale changes, but retained Elmore as a low cost but limited option for the outfield.

The following season earned him the nickname “The Bomber” as he hit a team record 42 home runs in 2013. He was on pace to challenge the all-time PEBA home run record of 50 (at the time) before a September swoon ended any chances of league immortality. Nevertheless, Elmore became a fan favorite in Duluth, where good stories were few and far between.

Unfortunately, shoulder problems quickly sapped his power stroke as he missed much the 2014 season, then managed only nine homers in 100 games for the Warriors in 2015. The team then parted ways with the Bomber, who officially retired from professional baseball shortly thereafter.

His return is a blessing for a player who went from rockstar to rags in a blink of an eye. “I’m honored to be a part of the Warriors organization again,” said Elmore after the announcement. “ I owe a lot to the Bong family and those that gave me a chance to realize my potential in Duluth. I will always be grateful.”