CLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Guardians today announced the organizational staff alignment within the Player Development System for the upcoming Minor League season.
Andy Tracy (third season) will again captain the Triple-A Columbus roster, leading the Clippers to a 85-64 (.570) record in 2022. With the recent promotions of Rigo Beltrán (Bullpen Coach) and Jason Esposito (Run Production Coord.) to the Major League staff, Owen Dew (Pitching Coach) and Junior Betances (Hitting Coach) move from Akron to Columbus along with Greg DiCenzo (Bench Coach), who spent 2021 and 2022 piloting the Lake County Captains to a combined record of 141-108 (.566). Cody Buckel returns for his second season on the staff in the Pitching Strategist role.
Rouglas Odor will again guide the Double-A Akron RubberDucks, who have posted a combined record of 152-105 (.591) over the last two seasons. Beachwood, OH native and former ML pitcher Brad Goldberg assumes Pitching Coach duties with Mike Mergenthaler (Hitting), B-W alum Ian Forster (Asst. Hitting) and former Cleveland OF Daniel Robertson (Bench) rounding out the staff. Omir Santos moves from Lynchburg to manage Lake County while Jordan Smith assumes Lynchburg managerial duties after guiding the ACL Guardians to a 28-24 mark last summer. TJ Rivera, who joined the organization last May, will guide the ACL club. Rivera, 34, played professionally for 11 seasons (2011-21), appearing in 106 games for the Mets in 2016 and 2017 and was on 2017 Puerto Rico WBC roster. Jesús Tavárez helms the DSL Blue club for the fourth time while former Cleveland farmhand and 2022 Akron Bench Coach Juan De La Cruz makes his managerial debut with the DSL Red squad.
Other notable Player Development coordinator and coaching promotions and hires include:
Caleb Longshore (Pitching Coordinator): Assumes Pitching Coordinator role alongside Joel Mangrum in his second season in the organization after spending 2022 as the Pitching Coach at Lake County.
Larry Day (Asst. Field Coordinator): Day is set to begin his ninth season in the Guardians organization, spending the last three seasons as the Player Programs Coordinator. Has previously coached and managed in the system.
Raul Gonzalez (AZ Academy Hitting Coach): Played 20 seasons professionally (1991-2010), parts of 5 seasons in MLB (7G w/CLE in ’04). Has coached professionally since 2011 in the Detroit, Boston, San Diego and Kansas City organizations.
Amanda Kamekona (AZ Academy Hitting Coach): Played professional softball from 2010-2019 after a standout collegiate career at UCLA and Cal State Fullerton. She founded and coached a junior Olympic-level softball team based in Chino Hills, CA in 2020 in addition to head coaching duties at Bishop Amat Memorial HS (2019-22) in La Puente, CA.
Ben Johnson (Asst Director, Pitching Development): Moves into a front office role in his fourth year with the Guardians, spending the 2022 season as the club’s Pitching Resource Coordinator.
Matt Eiden (Strength and Conditioning Coordinator): Was the Major League Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Washington Nationals from 2016-21.
Lionel Chia (Physical Development Resource Coordinator): Second season in the organization, joining the club in Jan. 2022. Previous stop was five years as the Physiotherapist/Rehab Coach w/the W. Harbour Rugby Club in Sydney, Australia (2017-21).
Dan Himmerick (Rehab Coordinator): First season as Rehab Coordinator based out of Goodyear. Was a Minor League Physical Therapist with Cleveland during his first three seasons, 2020-22.
Michael Poole (Pitching Development Coach): Akron native and Lake Erie College alum interned with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2020 and later moved to the collegiate coaching ranks before latching on with Driveline Baseball
Dan Mahoney (Pitching Development Coach): The Leesburg, VA native played professionally in the Marlins and Yankees systems, 2009-13. Since playing days he has worked as a strength coach in the physical therapy field in addition to coaching at the AAU/travel/HS level and operating his own private training facility.
Last season, the four full-season affiliates compiled a record of 303-244 (.554) the third-best record among the 30 Major League organizations while sporting the youngest collective rosters at the Triple-A, Double-A and High-A levels. Overall, the seven Minor League club’s posted a combined record of .379-339 (.528). Recently, The Athletic’s Keith Law rated the Guardians organization second-best in the Majors. The 2023 Minor League season is currently slated to begin on March 31 (Triple-A) and April 6 (Double-A; High-A).
| 2023 PLAYER DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM STAFF ALIGNMENT
Director, PD ……………… Rob Cerfolio Director, Administration……… Wendy Hoppel Special Assistant to Pres./GM… Tom Wiedenbauer VP, Hitting …………………. Alex Eckelman Asst. Dir., Player Development….. Ilana Mishkin Special Assistant to PD……….. Travis Fryman Director, Hitting Development… Nate Freiman Asst. Dir., Pitching Development….. Ben Johnson% Special Assistant to PD……… Johnny Goryl Director, Pitching Development. Stephen Osterer Asst. Dir., PD, Life Skills………….. Jennifer Wolf Special Assistant to PD………… Minnie Mendoza Director, Physical Development…Andrew Bahnert Asst. Dir., PD, Education………….. Anna Bolton Asst, PD and Scouting …………. Nilda Taffanelli
FUNDAMENTAL COORDINATORS Field Coordinator……….. John McDonald Pitching Coordinator ……………. Caleb Longshore% Hitting Resource Coord.…… Josh Tubbs Assistant Field Coordinator… Anthony Medrano Catching Coordinator ……………. Luke Carlin Strength/Cond. Coordinator …Matt Eiden# Assistant Field Coordinator.…Larry Day% Infield Coordinator……………….. JB Eary Pitching Coordinator……… Joel Mangrum Hitting Coordinator………….. Grant Fink
ARIZONA PERFORMANCE Asst. Dir., Medical Services.. Jeremy Harris Nutrition Coordinator………….. Miguel Solis Phys. Devl. Resource Coordinator……Lionel Chia ATC Coordinator…….. Bobby Ruiz Sports Science Analyst……….. Ryan Faer Mental Performance Coach ……………Sean Swallen Medical Administrator… Teddy Blackwell Sports Science Analyst……….. Josh Morrison Mental Health/Performance Asst…… .Kevin Lou# Rehab Coordinator………… Dan Himmerick% Sports Science Analyst……….. Lucas Van Dyke
TRIPLE-A COLUMBUS DOUBLE-A AKRON ADVANCED CLASS-A LAKE COUNTY Manager………………………. Andy Tracy Manager………………………………..Rouglas Odor Manager………………………. Omir Santos% Pitching Coach………………. Owen Dew% Pitching Coach……………………… Brad Goldberg% Pitching Coach………………. Kevin Erminio% Hitting Coach………………… Junior Betances% Hitting Coach……………………….. Mike Mergenthaler% Hitting Coach………………… Jordan Becker# Bench Coach…………………. Greg DiCenzo% Asst. Hitting Coach…………….. Ian Forster% Bench Coach…………………. Kyle Lindquist% Pitching Strategist……………Cody Buckel Bench Coach…………………… Daniel Robertson% Strength/Cond………………… Luis Rios% Strength/Cond……………….. Tyler Grisdale% Strength/Cond………………………. Mo Cuevas% Athletic Trainer……………….. Matt Beauregard Athletic Trainer……………… Jeremy Heller Athletic Trainer……………….. Jacob Legan
LOW-A LYNCHBURG ARIZONA COMPLEX LEAGUE STAFF DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE ONE/TWO Manager………………………. Jordan Smith% Manager……………………….. TJ Rivera% DR Academy Coordinator…. José Mejía Pitching Coach………………. Tony Arnold % Pitching Coach… ………………… Anderson Polanco% Manager DSL Blue……………. Jesús Tavárez Hitting Coach………………… Ordomar Valdez% Hitting Coach………………………. Craig Massoni% Pitching Coach DSL Blue……. Carlos Jan% Bench Coach………………….Yan Rivera% Bench Coach …………………… Erlin Cerda% Hitting Coach DSL Blue……… Cole Nieto% Strength/Cond……………….. TBD Strength/Cond. ………………….. César Yépez Bench/INF Coach DSL Blue … Marc Mumper# Athletic Trainer……………… Franklin Sammons Athletic Trainer …………………….. Luis Estala Strength/Cond DSL Blue…… Fernando Cabral Athletic Trainer DSL Blue….. Carlos Veguilla-Diaz% ARIZONA COMPLEX SUPPORT STAFF ARIZONA COMPLEX ACADEMY STAFF Physical Therapist……….. Santos Conde Az Complex Manager……… Amiro Santana Academy Devl. Team Manager…… Dennis Malave% Manager DSL Red…………….. Juan De La Cruz% AZ Complex Asst. Manager.. Madeline Craft Hitting Development Coach………. Raul Gonzalez# Pitching Coach DSL Red…….. Jesύs Sánchez% Manager, AZ Clubhouse…. Fletcher Wilkes Hitting Development Coach………. Amanda Kamekona# Coaching Fellow, DSL Red.. Ronald Parra Asst. Clubhouse Manager… Mason Wilbanks Pitching Development Coach…… Michael Poole# Bench Coach, DSL Red…….. Carlos Fermín% AZ Clubhouse Asst……….. Nate Sandler Pitching Rehab Coach……………. Dan Mahoney# DR Academy S & C……………. Andrés Ponces% AZ Clubhouse Asst……….. Brandon Gilman S & C Coach………………………… Brian Walker% DR Academy Head ATC……. Derrick Diaz AZ Sous Chef………………. Katrina Antles Athletic Trainer……………………… Yuka Ogata S & C., DSL Red…………… Edgar Soto% Front of House, Food Serv….Denise Helenes MENTAL HEALTH/PERFORMANCE Mgr, Latin American Ops……. Ismael Jansen AZ Utility Cook………………. Gloria Quiroz Director, Sport Psychology……… Dr. Lindsay Shaw Asst Mgr, Latin American Ops… Ricardo Garcia Lead Teacher, AZ Education Paty de la Rosa-Acosta Sr. Advisor, President/GM………. Dr. Charles A. Maher DR Education Coordinator … Allie Eyers% #New to Organization %New to Position Mental Performance Consultant… Martin Rasumoff Admin., DR………………… Cristina Almonte |
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