Cubs announce 2014 minor league managers and staff

December 18, 2013

The Chicago Cubs today announced their minor league managers and coaching staffs for the 2014 season.

Managers/staff returning to the organization but assigned to new positions next year are listed below in bold, while managers/staff new to the organization are listed in bold italics. More information on the returning members of the Cubs organization can be found on pages 198-211 of the Chicago Cubs 2013 Media Guide.

Iowa (AAA)

Manager - Marty Pevey
Pitching Coach - Bruce Walton
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Brian Harper
Athletic Trainer - Scott Barringer

Tennessee (AA)

Manager - Buddy Bailey
Pitching Coach - Storm Davis
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Desi Wilson / Leo Perez
Athletic Trainer - Shane Nelson

Daytona (A)

Manager - Dave Keller
Pitching Coach - Ron Villone
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Mariano Duncan
Athletic Trainer - Peter Fagan

Kane County (A)

Manager - Mark Johnson
Pitching Coach - David Rosario
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Tom Beyers
Athletic Trainer - Jonathan Fiero

Boise (Short A)

Manager - Gary Van Tol
Pitching Coach - Brian Lawrence
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Bill Buckner
Athletic Trainer - Toby Williams

Mesa (Rookie)

Manager - Jimmy Gonzalez
Pitching Coach - Anderson Tavares
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Ricardo Medina
Athletic Trainer - Mike McNulty

Dominican (Rookie)

Manager - Juan Cabreja
Pitching Coach - Leo Hernandez
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Oscar Bernard / Yudith Ozorio
Athletic Trainer - Jose Alvarez

Venezuelan (Rookie)

Manager - Pedro Gonzalez
Pitching Coach - Angel Guzman
Hitting Coach/Assistant - Tom Beyers
Athletic Trainer - Arnoldo Goite

Marty Pevey begins his second season as Triple-A Iowa's manager in his sixth year with the Cubs organization after serving as Chicago's catching coordinator for three seasons (2010-12). Pevey served as the Single-A Peoria Chiefs manager in 2009, his first season with the organization. Pevey has a combined 30 years of professional experience (13 years as a player and 17 years as a manager, coach or coordinator), and was named the 2009 Midwest League co-Manager of the Year after leading Peoria to the Western Division semifinals with an 81-57 record. Joining Pevey at Iowa will be newly hired pitching coach, Bruce Walton, who spent the 2010-12 seasons serving as Toronto's major league pitching coach. Walton handled bullpen coach duties for the Blue Jays from 2002-2009. The former righthander went 2-0 with an 8.21 ERA during a four-year major league career. Brian Harper returns for his second season as Iowa's hitting coach after managing Double-A Tennessee in 2011 and Single-A Daytona in 2012. Scott Barringer will make his Iowa debut as the athletic trainer after serving in the same role with Tennessee last season.

Buddy Bailey begins his third-straight season (and fourth overall) as Tennessee's manager after guiding the Smokies to a 76-62 record last season, securing the Southern League second-half title with a league-best 42-27 mark. Bailey spent three years as Daytona's skipper prior to joining the Smokies, compiling a 215-196 (.523) record, including a 2011 Florida State League Championship. Next season will mark Bailey's 26th year as a manager and his ninth with the organization. Storm Davis begins his second season with the organization and his first as Tennessee's pitching coach after serving in the same role with Daytona last season. The former righthander went 113-96 with a 4.02 ERA during a 13-year big league career. Desi Wilson, entering his seventh season with the organization, returns as the hitting coach for a second year after handling the same duties at Daytona in 2012. Leo Perez begins his sixth season as a coach in Chicago's organization, serving as assistant hitting coach while also working with the team's catchers. Shane Nelson rounds out the staff as the team's athletic trainer after working with Single-A Kane County last season and Peoria in 2012.

Dave Keller returns for his second season as Daytona's manager after guiding the Cubs to a 75-51-1 record and the Florida State League Championship last season, the club's sixth title and second in the last three years. Entering his 11th season with the organization, Keller served as Iowa's hitting coach in 2012 and was an assistant on the major league coaching staff in 2011. Handling pitching coach duties at Daytona will be Ron Villone, who begins his third season with the organization after serving in the same role with Kane County last season. Mariano Duncan returns for his second season as Daytona's hitting coach after serving the previous two campaigns as Tennessee's hitting coach (2011-12). The 12-year major league veteran (1985-87, 1989-97) joined the Cubs in 2011 after spending the previous five seasons (2006-10) as the Los Angeles Dodgers major league first base coach. Peter Fagan returns to Daytona as the athletic trainer.

Mark Johnson returns for his second season as Kane County's manager after spending two seasons as Single-A Boise's skipper (2011-12). Johnson led the Hawks to the playoffs in each of his two seasons after enjoying a 17-year professional playing career that included 332 major league games with the White Sox (1998-2002), Athletics (2003), Brewers (2004) and Cardinals (2008). David Rosario will handle pitching coach duties after serving in the same role for Boise for three seasons (2011-13). 2014 will mark Rosario's 10th-consecutive campaign as a minor league coach in the Cubs system. Tom Beyers, who has been with the Cubs for 14 years, returns as hitting coach for the second year in a row. Jonathan Fiero begins his first season as Kane County's athletic trainer after serving in the same role with Boise last season.

Gary Van Tol returns for his second season as Boise's manager after guiding the Hawks to a 41-35 record last season, securing a playoff berth with the second-best overall record in the South Division. Van Tol boasts 21 years of coaching experience, serving as a volunteer coach with the Hawks the previous five seasons (2008-12). A veteran of the collegiate ranks, Van Tol was a coach for Gonzaga University (1991-93 and 2006-08) and the University of Portland (2003-05). He also managed at Centralia (Wash.) Community College in 1994 and at Treasure Valley Community College from 1997-2001. Joining Van Tol at Boise will be newly hired pitching coach, Brian Lawrence, who spent last season in the San Diego organization as Single-A Lake Elsinore's pitching coach. Lawrence made his coaching debut in 2012 as pitching coach for the Normal CornBelters of the independent Frontier League. The former righthander went 50-63 with a 4.19 ERA during a six-year big league career. Bill Buckner remains the team's hitting coach for a third season after joining the club in 2012. Buckner enjoyed a 22-year major league playing career, playing for the Cubs from 1977-84. Toby Williams begins his first season as Boise's athletic trainer.

Jimmy Gonzalez begins his first season as Rookie-League Mesa's manager after serving as the club's hitting coach last season. Gonzalez is a former catcher who played 14 minor league seasons after he was selected in the first round of the 1991 draft by Houston. Anderson Tavares returns for his second season as Mesa's pitching coach after holding the same position with the Dominican Cubs the previous six seasons. Ricardo Medina returns as the club's hitting coach. Medina has been a coach, manager or scout in the Cubs organization since 1999. Mike McNulty begins his first season as Mesa's athletic trainer.

Juan Cabreja, who served as the Latin America Assistant Field Coordinator last season, will manage the Dominican Cubs. He managed the Cubs second Dominican club in 2012. Leo Hernandez will serve as the pitching coach in his 19th year with the club while Oscar Bernard returns for his second season as the club's hitting coach. After managing the Dominican Cubs for the past four seasons, Yudith Ozorio will serve as the team's assistant hitting coach and also oversee all aspects of the club's outfield defense and baserunning. Jose Alvarez begins his first season as the club's athletic trainer.

Pedro Gonzalez begins his first year as the Venezuelan Cubs manager. He will be joined by pitching coach, Angel Guzman, and hitting coach, Franklin Blanco. Guzman enjoyed a four-year major league pitching career with the Cubs from 2006-09. Blanco begins his eighth year with the organization. Arnoldo Goite will serve as the club's athletic trainer.