The Oakland A's today announced their player development staff for the 2017 season.
Ed Sprague was named coordinator of instruction after serving as a consultant for the A's player development department in 2016. He hit .247 with 152 home runs and 558 RBI in 1203 games over 11 seasons in the majors, including part of one season with Oakland in 1998. Following his playing career, the Stockton native was the head coach at the University of the Pacific for 12 seasons from 2004-15. Steve Scarsone, who has spent the last eight seasons managing in the A's farm system, was named travelling instructor. Gil Patterson, Jim Eppard, Juan Navarrette and Craig Lefferts return in their roles as pitching coordinator, hitting coordinator, defensive coordinator and pitching rehab coordinator, respectively.
Nate Brooks was named medical coordinator after 12 seasons with the A's as a minor league athletic trainer and rehab coordinator. Travis Tims, who begins his 10th season in the Oakland organization, replaces Brooks as rehab coordinator. A.J. Selliger will take over as strength and conditioning coordinator in his fourth season in A's system. Brooks and Selliger replace Jeff Collins and Josh Cuffe, who have joined the Major League staff in Oakland.
Ryan Christenson was named manager at Triple-A Nashville after guiding Double-A Midland to back-to-back Texas League Championships in 2015-16. He began his managerial career in the A's farm system in 2013 and has a 323-236 (.578) record while leading his clubs to postseason appearances in all four of his seasons. Christenson is currently managing the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. Rick Rodriguez (pitching coach), Eric Martins (hitting coach) and Brad LaRosa (athletic trainer) return to the Nashville staff while Henry Torres joins the club as strength and conditioning coach.
Fran Riordan replaces Christensen at the helm of Midland after managing at Single-A Beloit the previous two seasons. Prior to that, he managed for 14 season in independent leagues. John Wasdin (pitching coach), Brian McArn (hitting coach) and Justin Whitehouse (athletic trainer) return to Midland and Matt Rutledge joins the staff as strength and conditioning coach.
Rick Magnante returns as manager at Single-A Stockton for the third consecutive season and is in his 21st season in the A's organization. Steve Connelly (pitching coach), Tommy Everidge (hitting coach) and Sean Doran (strength and conditioning coach) also return to Stockton. An athletic trainer to replace Travis Tims will be determined at a later date.
Scott Steinmann joins the Oakland organization as manager of the Beloit Snappers in the Midwest League. Steinmann had spent his entire professional baseball career, which began in 1996 as a player, in the Seattle organization. His first coaching assignment came in 1999 at Everett of the Northwest League and he spent 17 seasons on various coaching staffs in the Mariners farm system, including nine seasons as a manager. His most recent assignment was in 2015 at the helm of Single-A Clinton. Don Schulze (pitching coach), Juan Dilone (hitting coach) and Brian Thorson (athletic trainer) return to Beloit and Omar Aguilar takes over as strength and conditioning coach.
The coaching staff at Short Season Single-A Vermont remains the same with Aaron Nieckula as manager, Carlos Chavez as pitching coach and Lloyd Turner as hitting coach. Toshi Nagahara returns as athletic trainer and J.D. Howell will be the new strength and conditioning coach.
The A's affiliate in the Arizona Rookie League will also have the same staff, including manager Webster Garrison, pitching coach Gabriel Ozuna, hitting coach Ruben Escalera, coach Gabe Ortiz, athletic trainer Chris Lessner and strength and conditioning coach Terence Brannic.