Chris “Tank” Adamson’s Adjustment to IronPigs’ Manager

Chris “Tank” Adamson took over as acting manager of Triple-A Lehigh Valley in late April as the Phillies juggled their coaching staff in an attempt to bust their early-season slump. The 38-year-old hails from Sydney, Australia and spent time with High-A Jersey Shore and the Phillies’ rookie ball team before taking up with the IronPigs as bench coach in 2024.

Although it’s the last level of affiliate ball before MLB, Triple-A is often seen as a step down from Double-A; top prospects congregate in Double-A, while Triple-A serves as a sort of taxi squad for fringe big leaguers who can contribute for a week or two when called upon but won’t ever settle into a daily role in the show.

With coaching experience at multiple stops on the road to the big leagues, Adamson described what sets Triple-A apart from the other affiliate tiers.

“I’m loving it. Loving it. I really enjoy this level,” Adamson said. “On the baseball-specific side, obviously, there’s some different guys. There’s some that we’re trying to just polish off before they get to the big leagues, and there are some other guys that are like ‘okay, we need them to be ready to go and contribute tomorrow.’”

Closing the Gap

Adamson also focused on the human element of coaching. The median age for a Triple-A player hovers around 27, so players are getting married and starting families; in rookie ball, they’re just starting to learn how to live on their own.

“I think on the human element we’re just trying to help them be the best versions of themselves… some of them, the goalposts shift a little bit in terms of urgency with what we’re trying to achieve, but overall it’s a super fun level and I just like trying to help those guys as much as I can,” Adamson said.

“Just trying to help guys not only reach their potential and get to where they want to be, but also just be able to almost raise the floor and have the gap between their best and their worst a little bit closer. It’s something that I enjoy and it’s really cool trying to help guys achieve their dreams.”

Like any manager, Adamson had plenty of answers ready when asked which of his players have impressed the most this season. He highlighted Otto Kemp and Felix Reyes, both of whom spent time with the Phillies this season, as well as Gabriel Rincones Jr., currently on the big league squad. Adamson also praised infielder Christian Cairo, the son of 17-year MLB veteran Miguel Cairo. Here’s what Adamson had to say.

Tank’s Takes

On Kemp:

“I’ve been around Otto Kemp a lot, and just the way he works is really impressive. At times we have to almost protect him from himself. He’s a workhorse and just wants to try to be the best version of himself every single day. So just seeing him work and his level of professionalism is really, really impressive, so he continues to really impress me.”

On Cairo:

“Christian Cairo’s had a great start to the year and again, you can just tell that he’s been around the game for an extended period of time. He kind of grew up in major league clubhouses, and just his ability to prepare and play the game like he’s on fire every day. It’s been really fun to watch.”

On Rincones:

“It goes without saying Gabe’s probably one of the most talented people to set foot on the baseball field, and it’s just getting him to continue to just learn how to be a professional and be consistent every day. But if he gives himself a chance to tap into his potential, he could be a seriously impressive player.”

On Reyes: 

“Felix is just supremely talented. He’s kind of been against the odds the whole time. Just coming over a little bit later in terms of age from the Dominican. He’s always had an innate ability to put the barrel on the ball, and I think that’s just something that finally now people are continuing to see it, both at this level and in the big leagues, so it’s really fun to watch.”