In 2022 with UNCW, Maness assisted with the Seahawk pitching staff, which included freshman All-America selection RJ Sales and Cyle Phelan, who earned CAA All-Freshman honors. The Seahawks were forced to closeout the final 11 weeks of the season with a freshman rotation on the weekends after several injuries reduced the staff early in the season. Sales and Phelan were joined by Zane Taylor in ranking among the conference leaders in both opponent batting average and earned run average.
Maness, who joined the Seahawks as the program’s coordinator of player development, began his professional career in 2011 with the St. Louis Cardinals and made his major league debut early in 2013 in relief against Milwaukee. He pitched four seasons with the Cardinals and helped key their run as National League champions in 2013. Maness made 215 appearances out of the bullpen his first three seasons, including a career-high 76 in 2015.
In 2017 he signed as a free agent with Kansas City and his last professional appearance came in 2019 as a member of the Nashville Sounds, the triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.
Maness was selected in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Cardinals out of East Carolina. He was a four-time first-team All-Conference USA honoree while with the Pirates (2008-11) and concluded his career as the program’s all-time leader in wins (38), innings pitched (411.2) and games started (61).
