Coaching Staff

Chris Piano, a Hamilton native, has been a key figure in the Hamilton Cardinals’ organization since 2021. His extensive experience includes playing and coaching for the Union Kufstein Vikings in the Austrian Baseball League in 2009 and playing for the Berkley Eagles in Australia in 2008. During his five-season tenure with the Hamilton franchise in the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL), Piano achieved a career batting average of .281, with 89 hits in 317 at-bats, including 13 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases. Notably, he led the IBL in triples in 2011. Piano was hired in 2024 as the Field Manager and in his first season, Piano guided the team to 18 wins and was selected as Co-Manager for the North All-Star Team. In November 2024, he signed a two-year extension with the Cardinals, committing to manage the club through the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Castelli, the 1993 IBL Rookie of the Year, has a deep-rooted history with the Hamilton Cardinals. After an impressive playing career, he transitioned to coaching, leading the team in over 300 games and earning Manager of the Year honors in both 2018 and 2019.

Luis Bernardo joins the coaching staff as Assistant Coach after two seasons as the Cardinals’ starting catcher. His playing career includes six seasons in the Baltimore Orioles organization, where he advanced to the Class-A Advanced level with the Frederick Keys. In addition to his coaching role, Bernardo’s responsibilities now include overseeing import player recruitment in the front office.

Daniel Jagdeo returns to the coaching staff as Hitting Coach. A former player, Jagdeo appeared in 267 games, achieving a career batting average of .291 and recording 287 hits. His playing career included time with the Hamilton Thunderbirds in 2011, the Hamilton Cardinals from 2012 to 2014, and four seasons with Brantford to conclude his IBL career.