Nationals announce 2020 Minor League staff

The Washington Nationals announced their Minor League managers, coaches and coordinators for the 2020 season on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

• Former Triple-A Fresno pitching coach Brad Holman will fill the role of Minor League pitching coordinator, the spot vacated by the promotion of Paul Menhart to Major League pitching coach.
• Michael Tejera moves from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Fresno, replacing Holman as pitching coach.
• Billy Gardner Jr. takes over as the manager of Double-A Harrisburg, replacing Matt LeCroy who was named Minor League quality control coordinator. The Senators also welcome former Single-A Fredericksburg National Sam Narron as pitching coach.
• Replacing Narron in Fredericksburg is Justin Lord, who joins the Nationals organization after seven seasons (2013-19) as a pitching coach in the Baltimore Orioles Minor League system. Lord spent the 2019 season with the Single-A Frederick Keys.
• The Single-A Hagerstown Suns will welcome a new manager in 2020, with Mario Lisson taking over after two seasons (2018-19) with the Gulf Coast League Nationals. Former GCL Nationals hitting coach Jorge Mejia joins Lisson as hitting coach. The Suns’ new pitching coach is Pat Rice, who spent the previous six seasons (2014-19) as a pitching coach in the Los Angeles Angels chain. Rice spent the 2019 season with Triple-A Salt Lake.
• Former Suns manager Patrick Anderson moves to the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays, replacing Rocket Wheeler, who takes over as manager of the GCL Nationals.
• Edwin Hurtado takes over the role as Dominican Summer League pitching coach. Hurtado is a veteran of 12 seasons as a manager and coach (2008-19) throughout Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela and also spent parts of three Major Leagues seasons playing for the Seattle Mariners (1996-97) and the Toronto Blue Jays (1995), appearing in 43 games across those three seasons. He brings more than 20 seasons of professional playing experience in the United States, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Japan, Korea and Mexico.
• Former Major League infielder Wilson Valdez is the new infield coach for the DSL Nationals. Valdez spent parts of seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (2012), Philadelphia Phillies (2010-11), New York Mets (2009), Los Angeles Dodgers (2007), San Diego Padres (2005), Seattle Mariners (2005) and Chicago White Sox (2004).
• Former Major League pitcher Stolmy Pimentel joins the organization as the assistant pitching coach for the DSL Nationals. Pimentel appeared in 33 games in parts of three seasons with the Texas Rangers (2015) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2013-14).