Tigers Announce Minor League Assignments For 2017
DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers today announced the minor league field staff and roving personnel assignments for the 2017 season.
Dave Owen (Director, Player Development), Bill Dancy (Minor League Field Coordinator), Manny Crespo (Director, Latin American Player Development), Scott Fletcher (Infield Coordinator), Joe DePastino (Catching Coordinator), Bruce Fields (Hitting Coordinator), A.J. Sager (Pitching Coordinator), Jaime Garcia (Assistant Pitching Coordinator), Gene Roof (Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator), Brian Peterson (Performance Enhancement Instructor), Dr. George Carlo (Performance Coach), Sharon Lockwood (Coordinator of International Player Programs), Corey Tremble (Medical Coordinator), Steve Melendez (Minor League International Medical Coordinator) and Steve Chase (Strength and Conditioning Coordinator) will all return in their respective positions for the 2017 season. Josman Robles, who was the hitting coach for the GCL Tigers West last season, will be the Latin American Performance Coach in 2017.
For Triple A Toledo, Mike Rojas returns to the Tigers organization as the Mud Hens manager. Rojas, who was previously in the Tigers organization from 2004-13, served as Toledo's manager in 2007, leading the Mud Hens to an International League title. Rojas most recently worked as the Seattle Mariners bullpen coach in 2014-15. Brian Harper will be Toledo's hitting coach in 2017. Harper played 16 seasons in the majors, including one season with Detroit. Harper joins the Tigers organization after spending the previous six seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization, including the last four as hitting coach at Triple A Iowa. Pitching coach Jeff Pico, third base coach Basilio Cabrera, athletic trainer Chris McDonald and strength and conditioning coach Fred Murphy return to the Mud Hens staff in 2017.
At Double A Erie, Lance Parrish returns as the SeaWolves manager, while Willie Blair is back at the team's pitching coach and Phil Clark will again serve as Erie's hitting coach. Jeff Mathers, who was the strength and conditioning coach at Single A Lakeland in 2016, will be Erie's strength and conditioning coach in 2017, while T.J. Obergefell, who was the athletic trainer at Single A West Michigan last season, will be the athletic trainer for the SeaWolves this season.
Andrew Graham and Mark Johnson, who were the manager and pitching coach, respectively, at Single A West Michigan last season, will serve in those same roles for Single A Lakeland in 2017. Ramon Vazquez joins the Tigers organization in 2017 and will be the hitting coach for the Flying Tigers. Vazquez most recently worked in the Houston Astros organization since 2014 and spent the 2016 season as the manager at Single A Lancaster. Allan Williamson will serve as Lakeland's strength and conditioning coach and Chris Vick, who was the trainer at Single A Connecticut last season, will be the Flying Tigers' athletic trainer.
For Single A West Michigan, Mike Rabelo, who was the manager of Single A Connecticut in 2016, will be the Whitecaps manager in 2017. Jorge Cordova, who was the pitching coach at Single A Lakeland last season, and Mike Hessman, who was the hitting coach at Single A Connecticut in 2016, will also join Rabelo's staff at West Michigan. Matt Rosenhamer will serve as the strength and conditioning coach for West Michigan and Jason Schwartzman, who was the athletic trainer at Single A Lakeland last season, will be the Whitecaps athletic trainer in 2017.
Gerald Laird, who had a 12-year major league career, including three seasons with the Tigers, begins his professional coaching career as the manager at Single A Connecticut. Ace Adams returns to Connecticut's coaching staff in 2017 as the team's pitching coach, while Rafael Martinez, who was the manager for the GCL Tigers West in 2016, will be Connecticut's hitting coach. Edwin Ortiz will serve as Connecticut's strength and conditioning coach and Jarad Branski, who was the athletic trainer for the GCL Tigers West last season, will be the athletic trainer for Connecticut in 2017.
Rafael Gil will be the manager for the GCL (Gulf Coast League) Tigers West this season after spending one season as the GCL Tigers East manager. Mike Alvarez, who spent the previous 19 seasons in the Atlanta Braves organization, has been named pitching coach, while Francisco Contreras, who was a minor league player in the Tigers organization from 2010-15, will be the team's hitting coach. Marcos Sierra-Solar has been tabbed as the GCL Tigers West strength coach and Manny Peña will be the team's athletic trainer.
Jesus Garces, who was the manager for the DSL (Dominican Summer League) Tigers last season, will be the manager of the GCL Tigers East team in 2017. Carlos Bohorquez, Ramon Zapata and Carmelo Jaime return as the team's pitching coach, hitting coach and infield coach, respectively. Luis Rodriguez, who was the athletic trainer for the GCL Tigers East in 2016, will serve as the GCL Tigers East strength and conditioning coach this season.
Marco Yepez has been tabbed as the manager for the DSL Tigers. Yepez previously served as the manager for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League. Pitching coach Jose Parra, hitting coach Jose Ovalles, infield coach Carlos Quintero, outfield coach Sandy Acevedo, coach Soilo Perdomo, athletic trainer Luis Reyes and strength and conditioning coaches Rafael Suero and Thomas Muñoz all return to the DSL Tigers coaching staff in 2017.
The following are the field staff assignments at eight of the organization's minor league affiliates.
Toledo Erie Lakeland West Michigan
Manager Mike Rojas Lance Parrish Andrew Graham Mike Rabelo
Pitching Coach Jeff Pico Willie Blair Mark Johnson Jorge Cordova
Hitting Coach Brian Harper Phil Clark Ramon Vazquez Mike Hessman
Third Base Coach Basilio Cabrera
Trainer Chris McDonald T.J. Obergefell Chris Vick Jason Schwartzman
Strength & Conditioning Fred Murphy Jeff Mathers Allan Williamson Matt Rosenhamer
Connecticut GCL Tigers West GCL Tigers East DSL Tigers
Manager Gerald Laird Rafael Gil Jesus Garces Marco Yepez
Pitching Coach Ace Adams Mike Alvarez Carlos Bohorquez Jose Parra
Hitting Coach Rafael Martinez Francisco Contreras Ramon Zapata Jose Ovalles
Infield Coach Carmelo Jaime Carlos Quintero
Outfield Coach Sandy Acevedo
Coach Soilo Perdomo
Trainer Jarad Branski Manny Peña TBD Luis Reyes
Strength & Conditioning Edwin Ortiz Marcos Sierra-Solar Luis Rodriguez Rafael Suero/Thomas Muñoz