Logan Elm Grad Selected to Lead the 2026 Chillicothe Paints
Article presented by Litter Quality Propane …
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The Chillicothe Paints, presented by CohenOrthopedic, announce their coaching staff for the upcoming season, which begins May 26. Colin Clark will serve as the club’s field manager along with assistant coaches Jeff Noble and Spencer Crane.
COLIN CLARK
Clark returns to Chillicothe’s dugout after serving as the team’s pitching coach in 2025.
“I am beyond excited to be named the manager for the 2026 season,” said Clark. “This place has been an integral part of my maturity in the game. From watching the Paints as a kid to playing here and making the playoffs in 2018, and now calling the shots from the dugout, there is no place I’d rather be than Chillicothe.”
As someone who grew up in Circleville, Clark has a strong connection to the Paints and their venerable ballpark. “VA Memorial Stadium is where I fell in love with the game of Baseball,” Clark said. “I’ll never forget being the youngster who was chasing after foul balls and begging for autographs from my heroes. We are going to play with that same fast-paced, youthful energy every day and make everyone in Chillocthe and Southern Ohio proud of the product they will come watch this summer.”
Following graduation at Logan Elm High School in 2017, Clark continued his career at Youngstown State University where he was named 2021 Horizon League Preseason Pitcher of the Year. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from YSU, Clark spent a graduate year at Texas Tech, playing for the Red Raiders and earning a Master of Science in Sports Management.
In addition to playing for the Paints in 2018, Clark also played for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in the MLB Draft League in 2021, making him no stranger to collegiate summer baseball.
Following his collegiate baseball career, Clark played one season of professional baseball in 2022 for the Fargo-Morhead Redhawks, contributing to the club’s American Association Championship that year.
After hanging up his spikes, Clark worked on cattle ranches in Hondo, Texas and Walden, Colo., before beginning his coaching and teaching careers. He’s spent the past two years as professor of Sports Business Management at Ohio Christian University in Circleville, where he’s also an assistant baseball coach.
“We are going to put the players, the community, and the fans first,” said Clark. “It’s going to be a blast, and we are going to have our hammer cocked every single day.”
JEFF NOBLE
Southern Ohio high school baseball coaching legend and current Waverly High School head coach Jeff Noble joins the Paints’ field staff for the 2026 season.
“I fell in love with the Chillicothe Paints back in 1993 when I begged my way on as a foul ball chaser for the Frontier League tryout that eventually would turn in to a full time coaching position thanks to Coach Tom Monroe and Chris Hanners,” said Noble. “At that time, who would have thought that Chris’s vision of baseball and giving the underdog an opportunity to play Professional baseball in Chillicothe could sustain itself let alone thrive in our area.”
Noble has racked up 422 wins in his time at Waverly over two stints (1997-2003 and 2007-present), winning 10 sectional titles, six district championships and two regional finals appearances. Noble previously coached at Western from 1987-1994. He’s also a member of the Southeast District Hall of Fame, serves as the Southeast Senior Representative of the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association and has received the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award for baseball.
“I have been very blessed over the years to work with great baseball minds and this gives me a chance to give back to these student-athletes, something we preach to our current players daily,” added Noble. “Hopefully we can put a great product on the field and these players learn more than just baseball. I am very excited for this opportunity and would like to thank the Chillicothe Paints and Bryan Wickline.”
Noble is a 1977 gradutae of Waverly High School, where he was an All-Ohio baseball player. He then continued his career at Capital University, earning Second-Team All-OAC and Third-Team All-Mideast Region honors.
Beyond coaching, Noble is involved with the Waverly Youth League, the annual Tim Martin Showcase held at VA Memorial Stadium, Waverly Post 142 American Legion Baseball and Southern Ohio Sports Authority’s indoor baseball and softball training facility ‘The Dugout’. He lives in Waverly with his wife, Melodie. Their son, Jeffrey, is an assitant coach at Waverly.
SPENCER CRANE
Spencer Crane joins the Paints’ coaching staff after serving as the field manager of the Genesee Rapids in the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL).
In his first season leading the Rapids, Crane guided the team to a first-place finish in the West Division. His responsibilities included in-game strategy, coaching third base, working with hitters, and recruiting collegiate athletes. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Crane also led a two-week youth baseball camp, focusing on skill development, fundamentals, and fostering a love for the game.
Crane is also an assistant coach, helps with recruiting, and serves as the third base coach at Ohio Christian University.
Prior to coaching, Crane competed as a student-athlete at Ohio Christian University from 2022-24, concluding his playing career as OCU’s all-time home run leader and earning First Team All-Conference honors in the NAIA River States Conference during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Crane was named team captain his senior year and received the Outstanding Character Award, reflecting his leadership both on and off the field.
The 2026 season begins Tuesday, May 26, with the Paints traveling to play the Mill Rats in Johnstown, Pa. The Paints play their home opener Thursday, May 28 at 7:05 p.m. against the Kokomo Creek Chubs at VA Memorial Stadium. Season Tickets are available now at ChillicothePaints.com. Single-game tickets will be available for purchase online in the near future. For advertising information and opportunities, please email info@chillicothepaints.com.
