Braves announce 2016 Minor League staffs
Triple-A manager Snitker set for 40th season with organization
ATLANTA -- Brian Snitker will spend his 40th season with the Braves organization, continuing his role as Triple-A Gwinnett's manager. His longtime friend Randy Ingle will remain with Class A Rome in his 25th season as a manager in Atlanta's farm system.
The appointments of Snitker and Ingle were revealed on Wednesday afternoon, when the Braves announced their Minor League coaching staffs for the 2016 season. Five of the six managers from 2015 will return. The only newcomer to this role is Nestor Perez, who will manage the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League club after spending the past three seasons as an assistant hitting coach with Rookie-level Danville and Rome.
Snitker began his professional playing career with the Braves as a 21-year-old catcher on the 1977 Rookie-level Kingsport team that included a 19-year-old outfielder named Albert Hall. Snitker played for four seasons, then he accepted his first managerial gig with the Braves in 1982, when he skippered a Class A Anderson club that included a young pitcher named Zane Smith.
Along with multiple stints as a member of Atlanta's Major League coaching staff, Snitker has spent 19 seasons as a manager in the Braves' farm system. He will be entering his third straight season as Gwinnett's manager.
Snitker's coaching staff will remain intact, as Marty Reed will return to serve as his pitching coach and John Moses will continue his role as Gwinnett's hitting coach. The team's trainer will be Ricky Alcantara, who served as the organization's Double-A trainer for the past eight seasons.
Ingle's days as a manager in Atlanta's system date back to 1990, when he began the first of three consecutive seasons skippering Rookie-level Pulaski. This will be his second straight season at Rome. His coaching staff will include hitting coach Bobby Moore and pitching coach Dan Meyer, who spent this past season as the organization's Minor League rehabilitation pitching coordinator.
After spending the past five years serving as the manager for Atlanta's Class A Advanced team, Luis Salazar will spend this upcoming season as Double-A Mississippi's manager. Salazar will be joined by pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn and hitting coach Garey Ingram.
Rocket Wheeler will spend his 14th season as a Minor League manager in the organization with the Class A Advanced Carolina club. Wheeler spent this past season leading the Danville club. His new assignment will have him working with pitching coach Derrick Lewis and hitting coach Carlos Mendez. Robinson Cancel has been appointed to serve as Danville's manager after filling that role with the GCL club in 2015. Cancel's staff will include pitching coach Gabe Luckert and hitting coach Ivan Cruz.
As Perez transitions to managing at the professional level for the first time, he will be flanked by two respected coaching veterans. His coaching staff for the GCL Braves will include pitching coach Mike Alvarez and hitting coach Rick Albert.