Ayrton Oneill
Will Venable is a former Princeton basketball player who went on to become a Major League Baseball player and manager. Venable was a two-sport star at Princeton, where he earned first-team All-Ivy League honors in both baseball and basketball. He played nine seasons in the majors with the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers, before becoming the associate manager of the Texas Rangers and then manager of the Chicago White Sox.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| Height | 6-foot-3 |
| Points per game | 9.3 |
| Games played | 109 |
| Games started | 82 |
| All-Ivy League honors | First team (2004), second team (2005) |
| All-Ivy baseball honors | First team (2005) |
| Princeton teams | Basketball, baseball |
| Post-Princeton teams | San Diego Padres (2008-2015), Texas Rangers (2015, 2023), Los Angeles Dodgers (2016), Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox |
| Roles | Player, associate manager, manager |
| Princeton graduation year | 2005 |
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What You'll Learn
Will Venable's Princeton basketball career
Will Venable is a former Princeton basketball player and a two-sport star at the university. He played as a 6-foot-3 guard and averaged 9.3 points over four seasons, starting 82 of the 109 games in which he played. Venable scored more than 1,000 points in his Princeton basketball career, along with 155 steals and 253 assists. He earned first-team All-Ivy League honors as a junior in 2004 and received second-team recognition as a senior in 2005. During his junior year, he led Princeton to a 13-1 Ivy League record and the league championship.
Venable joined the Princeton baseball team in his sophomore year, after a two-year break from the sport. He hit .344 with 20 RBIs as a junior and hit .385 with nine home runs, 33 RBIs, and 35 runs scored as a senior. He was the second player in league history to make the first team All-Ivy in both basketball and baseball.
After his time at Princeton, Venable played nine seasons in Major League Baseball with the San Diego Padres (2008-15), Texas Rangers (2015), and Los Angeles Dodgers (2016). He recorded 81 home runs, 307 RBIs, and 135 stolen bases in 967 games. Venable then went on to become the associate manager of the Texas Rangers and later, the manager of the Chicago White Sox, becoming the first Princeton graduate to manage a Major League Baseball team.
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Will Venable's baseball career
Will Venable is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and current manager of the Chicago White Sox. During his nine-year baseball career, Venable played for the San Diego Padres (2008-15), Texas Rangers (2015), and Los Angeles Dodgers (2016). Over 967 games, he recorded a .
Venable joined the Princeton Tigers basketball team when he entered Princeton, but he did not join the baseball team until his sophomore year. In his junior year, he earned first-team All-Ivy League honors in basketball and led the Tigers to a 13-1 Ivy record and the league championship. As a senior, he received second-team All-Ivy League recognition in basketball and first-team All-Ivy League honors in baseball, becoming the second player in league history to make the first team in both sports.
After his playing career, Venable served as a coach for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. He then spent two seasons as the associate manager of the Texas Rangers, helping them reach the 2023 World Series. On November 8, 2024, Venable was introduced as the new manager of the Chicago White Sox, becoming the first Princeton graduate to manage a Major League Baseball team.
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Will Venable's coaching career
In 2021, Venable joined the Boston Red Sox as their bench coach. On May 29 that year, he managed his first MLB game, filling in for Alex Cora, and led the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Miami Marlins. Venable remained with the Red Sox through the 2022 season.
In 2023, Venable moved to the Texas Rangers as an "associate manager" to Bruce Bochy. On October 31, 2024, the Chicago White Sox hired Venable as their manager, making him the 44th manager in the team's history. Venable replaced interim manager Grady Sizemore, taking over a team that had just set the modern Major League record for most losses in a season.
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Will Venable's time with the Texas Rangers
William Dion Venable is an American professional baseball coach and former player. He is currently the manager of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Venable played college basketball for Princeton, where he was the second athlete to earn first-team All-Ivy League honours in both baseball and basketball.
On August 18, 2015, the San Diego Padres traded Venable to the Texas Rangers for catcher Marcus Greene and another player. The Rangers needed another outfielder to supplement players like Josh Hamilton, who had dealt with injuries in the past. However, Venable's time with the Rangers was not particularly successful. He batted .182 with three doubles as his only extra-base hits in 82 plate appearances. On February 28, 2016, he signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, and after a short stint with them, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.
On November 16, 2022, Venable returned to the Texas Rangers as an associate manager alongside Bruce Bochy. During his time as an associate manager, the Rangers had a difficult season, losing 121 games. Despite this, Venable's performance as associate manager must have been impressive, as he was hired by the Chicago White Sox as their manager on October 31, 2024.
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Will Venable's management of the Chicago White Sox
Will Venable, the former outfielder, was appointed the manager of the Chicago White Sox in October 2024. Venable's first season with the White Sox came after a disastrous 2024 season, in which the team set the modern-era record for most losses in a single season, finishing 41-121. Venable acknowledged the immense challenge ahead of him, but expressed optimism and determination to succeed.
Before joining the White Sox, Venable spent two seasons as the associate manager for the Texas Rangers under Bruce Bochy. In his first season with the Rangers, they won the World Series in 2023. Venable's duties with the Rangers included assisting Bochy, daily scheduling, and outfield instruction. Venable's playing and coaching career has seen him work with several esteemed managers, including Bochy, Alex Cora of the Red Sox, and Joe Maddon of the Cubs. He intends to adopt aspects of their styles into his own managerial approach, with a particular focus on effective communication with players.
Venable's playing career spanned nine seasons in the majors, where he played for the San Diego Padres, Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He then transitioned into coaching and front office roles, serving as a coach and special assistant for the Cubs from 2017 to 2020, and as a bench coach for the Boston Red Sox in 2021 and 2022. The Cubs made the playoffs in 2018 and 2020 with Venable on their staff.
As the new manager of the White Sox, Venable aims to build a strong team culture, foster transparency and clear communication, and establish strong relationships with players. He is committed to helping the team rebuild and return to contention, drawing on his diverse experiences and the lessons he has learned from previous managers. Venable's focus on communication and player perspective is informed by his own experiences as a player, where he encountered situations of less-than-ideal communication with managers.
Venable's appointment as manager of the Chicago White Sox demonstrates his reputation as a successful player, coach, and executive. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, and his emphasis on communication and player relationships is expected to drive the team's rebuild and future success.
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Frequently asked questions
A: Venable played as a guard for the Princeton Tigers.
A: Yes, Venable played for the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers in a nine-year Major League Baseball career.
A: Venable is currently the manager of the Chicago White Sox.
A: Yes, Venable was a two-sport star at Princeton, also playing baseball.
A: Venable scored over 1,000 points for the Princeton Tigers.
