Danny Neri begins his first season on staff in 2026.
Neri will serve as the volunteer assistant and comes to Smithfield after spending the 2025 season as the Director of Position Player Development at UCF.
"In addition to being mentored by some of the top catching coaches in the country, Danny brings a wealth of postseason experience to our program," Klosterman said. "We're excited to bring him on board and can't wait for him to start working with our catchers."
Neri began his collegiate career at Notre Dame, graduating in 2023, before playing his final season of eligibility at UCF. He helped Notre Daem reach back-to-back Super Regionals in 2021 and 2022, with the 2022 team advancing to the Men's College World Series. Neri then helped UCF reach the NCAA Tournament in 2024, earning Big 12 All-Tournament honors after tying a league record with a three-homer game.Â
