On Tuesday, the Miami Marlins announced the club's Minor League affiliate staffs for the 2019 season.
The affiliates this year will be managed by Keith Johnson (Triple-A New Orleans), Kevin Randel (Double-A Jacksonville), Todd Pratt (High-A Jupiter), Mike Jacobs (Low-A Clinton), Jorge Hernandez (Short Season-A Batavia), Robert Rodriguez (GCL Marlins), and Angel Espada (DSL Marlins).
Johnson is new to the Marlins' organization, joining the club after spending the last 14 years in the Los Angeles Angels' player development system, where he was named the organization's Minor League Manager of the Year twice. He will be joined by coaches Jeremy Powell (Pitching), Justin Mashore (Hitting), and Chris Briones (Defensive).
Randel will helm the Jumbo Shrimp after managing Jupiter the last two seasons. He has coached in the Marlins' system since 2010, after spending his entire playing career with the club (2002-'09). Bruce Walton (Pitching), Sean Berry (Hitting), and Jose Ceballos (Defensive) will join him on staff.
Pratt will be in his first season as Jupiter's manager, after guiding Greensboro the past two years. He had a 14-year playing career in Major League Baseball. He is joined on staff by Reid Cornelius (Pitching), Kevin Witt (Hitting), and Danny Black (Defensive).
Jacobs moves up to Low-A Clinton after spending the last two seasons as manager at Batavia. He hit 100 home runs across seven MLB seasons, three of them with the Marlins. Mark DeFelice (Pitching) and Frank Moore (Hitting) will serve as coaches.
Hernandez begins his third managerial assignment in the Marlins' system this season with Batavia. He was the organization's Infield Coordinator for the last five years, and has also managed Greensboro (2013) and the GCL Marlins (2009-'12). Chad Rhoades (Pitching), Rigoberto Silverio (Hitting), and Nathan Mikolas (Defensive) round out the coaching staff.
Rodriguez will begin his first professional coaching assignment with the GCL Marlins this year. He is the older brother of Pittsburgh Pirates' utility player Sean Rodriguez, while his father, Johnny Rodriguez, manages Double-A Springfield in the Cardinals' system. Jason Erickson (Pitching) and Jesus Merchan (Hitting) will serve as coaches.
Espada will begin his first year with the DSL Marlins. He was defensive coach for Greensboro the last two seasons, and was the club's Short Season manager at Batavia and Jamestown the previous four. His staff includes Ivan Arteago and Freddery Arias (Pitching), Rony Peralta and Emilio Linares (Hitting), and Miguel Fermin, Ramon Espinosa, and Cesar Diaz (Defensive).