Dann Bilardello

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1959)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Dann Bilardello

|position=Catcher

|image=

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1959|5|26}}

|birth_place=Santa Cruz, California, U.S.

|death_date=

|death_place=

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate= April 11

|debutyear= 1983

|debutteam= Cincinnati Reds

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 4

|finalyear=1992

|finalteam=San Diego Padres

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.204

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=18

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=91

|teams=

• Cincinnati Reds ({{Baseball year|1983}}–{{Baseball year|1985}})
• Montreal Expos ({{Baseball year|1986}})
• Pittsburgh Pirates ({{Baseball year|1989}}–{{Baseball year|1990}})
• San Diego Padres ({{Baseball year|1991}}–{{Baseball year|1992}})

}}

Dann James Bilardello (born May 26, 1959) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher and former manager of the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system. A product of Cabrillo College in Aptos, California, Bilardello has managed Cardinals minor league affiliates since {{baseball year|2010}}.

Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round of the 1978 MLB amateur draft, Bilardello made his MLB début with the Cincinnati Reds on April 11, 1983. His rookie season was his best showing at the plate with a .238 batting average, nine home runs and 38 runs batted in in 109 games. The next season, his 41.5% caught stealing percentage led the National League. In 1985, he improved on that rate at 48.8% – catching 20 of 41 would-be base stealers – although this time he finished third. He was a poor hitter throughout his career as he received the most playing time in his rookie season. Playing in a total of eight MLB seasons, Bilardello appeared in his final game with the San Diego Padres on October 4, 1992. His minor league playing career spanned a total of 16 seasons from {{baseball year|1978}} to 1994.

Following his playing career, Bilardello managed a different team in each of four seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league system from {{Baseball year|2002}}–{{Baseball year|2005}}. All teams were between the rookie to advanced A-level. Later, he served as a roving instructor for the Cardinals. After being named the manager of the Cardinals Short Season A level New York–Penn League affiliate Batavia Muckdogs in 2010, Bilardello led the team to the Pinckney Division championship that season. He managed Batavia until {{baseball year|2012}}. He received a promotion in {{baseball year|2013}} to take the same post with the Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League A-ball. On November 7, 2013, the Cardinals again promoted Bilardello to guide the advanced A-level Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League.{{cite news |last=Goold |first=Derrick |url=http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/cards-name-leveque-minor-league-pitching-coordinator/article_59712415-018d-58d7-a96c-d2944fc23da2.html |title=Cards name Leveque minor-league pitching coordinator |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=November 7, 2013 |accessdate=November 7, 2013}} He is currently the manager for the Tri-City Dust Devils, the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.{{Cite web |title=Dust Devils Announce 2025 Coaching Staff |url=https://www.milb.com/tri-city-dust-devils/news/dust-devils-announce-2025-coaching-staff |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}