Bells Ready to Take Diamond with New and Familiar Faces on Coaching Staff

Written by: Merrick Parnell

It’s that time of year again, and you know what that means? Baseball season is around the corner, and if you’re in Bellingham, that means the Bells’ season is nearly here. The Bells will return to the diamond in late May for another exciting season in the West Coast League (WCL).

Here’s a look at your Bellingham Bells coaches for the 2024 season. Each has a unique skill set and experience, but they are all united by baseball and the goal of a successful season.

Bob Ralston – Head Coach

Bob Ralston, from Clayton, California, enters his first year with the Bells as their Head Coach. Over several decades, Ralston has held various coaching and administrative roles within the baseball realm. Most recently, from 2022 to 2023, he served as the Assistant Baseball Coach at St. Mary’s College. Before then, he held several coaching and teaching roles at the college and high school levels.

As a player, Ralston spent seven years with the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics organizations. As a college baseball player, he garnered All-Pac 10 and first-team awards while at the University of Arizona. 

Ralston will work closely with Bells’ General Manager, Stephanie Morrell, to evaluate players to build and assemble the club’s roster. Ralston strives to be active in the community by attending team functions, community appearances, and promotional events as a team representative in the community and with local media.

During the season, he will work with the coaching staff to determine lineups and ensure that players compete and play hard. He will also teach individual and team fundamentals.

“My favorite role as a coach is helping players reach their individual and team goals through skill development,” he said. “My goal for our team is to compete daily at a high level,” he said.

Coach Ralston cannot wait to start the season and is thrilled to lead the Bellingham club this season.

“I am excited to be part of the Bells organization. It is a first-class organization with good people who care about the players and the community’s experience,” he said.

This season will be Steve Ward – Pitching Coach Coach Ward’s first year on the Bells’ coaching staff. He will work as the Head Pitching Coach, managing starters, relievers, and pitchers’ workloads over the summer.

Ward is a retired Head Coach and looks forward to working with the pitchers in his new role. 

In his career, Ward has coached for over 35 years at several levels, including two years as a Division One pitching coach at St. Mary’s College and 21 years as the head coach at Diablo Valley College (DVC). He also was a head coach in the Alaska League in 1989. 

Ward’s coaching earned him induction into the California Community College Athletic Association (CCAA) Hall of Fame in 2002 and the DVC Hall of Fame in 2022, where he also served as the Athletic Director.

Ward pitched all four years in college as a player and spent over a year in the California Angels organization.

Away from the diamond, he has also written two books on pitching and baseball, “The Art of Pitching,” released in 1985, and “Innings & Endings,” released in 2021.

Regarding the season, Ward said, “I am looking forward to helping young college pitchers progress and improve as they continue their college careers.”

Haydan Hastings, Associate Head Coach 

Haydan Hastings is back with the Bells as the Associate Head Coach for the 2024 season. Hastings stepped in as the interim head coach in 2022 and helped lead the Bells to the WCL Title game that season. He has been with the Bells since 2021 when he joined the club after his completing his collegiate playing career. Hastings is returning in 2024 after a brief break during 2023.

“Haydan brings incredible energy and knowledge of the game. He connects well with players, and he knows what it’s like to play at a high level. He is a coach players will work hard for and an invaluable asset to the organization,” Morrell said.

Hastings entered the coaching ranks right after graduating from college, and in addition to coaching with the Bells, he has also served on the Edmonds College baseball coaching staff.

During his playing career, Hastings was a catcher at Tulane University after starting his career at Gonzaga University. He played in the WCL with the Wenatchee Apple Sox.

Josh Robbins – Assistant Pitching Coach, 2019 Bells’ Player

Josh Robbins returns to the Bellingham Bells staff as the assistant pitching coach after serving on the coaching staff during the last season. Robbins also played briefly for the Bells in 2019 before a shoulder injury ended his season.

In his role as Pitching Coach, he will work closely with Steve Ward (Head Pitching Coach) and Bob Ralston, the team’s Head Pitching Coach, to prepare the team’s pitchers to stay healthy, succeed, and progress their game further.

This past fall and this spring were his first opportunities to be a full-time pitching and catching coach at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. Robbins had also played for Umpqua before playing for Eastern Oregon University.

While in Roseburg, he spent two summers as the Head Coach of their American Legion Club. He hopes to use that experience to learn more about baseball’s pitching element.

Robbins is thrilled to coach in Bellingham, and the Bells’ Joe Martin Stadium has a special place in his heart.

“I can’t wait to get back to a packed Joe Martin and see all the fans again. There is no better summer baseball atmosphere than in the West Coast League, especially in Bellingham,” he exclaimed.

Riley Parker – Assistant Coach

As an assistant coach, Riley Parker will be in the Bells’ dugout this season. In his role, he will work with position players, coach first base, and assist Head Coach Bob Ralston and Associate Head Coach Haydan Hastings with supporting the offense.

Parker is a smart player with a high baseball IQ who can relate to other players because he will have just wrapped up his college playing career. Parker played for the Bells in 2021 and 2023 and for a different club in 2022.

“Riley’s always been known as a great teammate and a clubhouse favorite. He is a smart, gritty player who is extremely athletic, insightful, and kind,” said Bells’ General Manager Morrell.

“He’s going to be a great coach, and we love that he is a beloved former Bell who knows our culture well and is proud of it,” she continued.

The Bellingham Bells

The Bellingham Bells will kick off their 2024 season over the May 31st weekend in a series against Edmonton. Tickets for that series and other games can be found here. For more information on the Bells, check out their website at bellinghambells.com or on X, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.