Cubs announce 2015 Minor League managers and staff
The Chicago Cubs today announced their minor league managers and coaching staffs for the 2015 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 207-228 of the Chicago Cubs 2014 Media Guide.
AFFILIATE MANAGER PITCHING COACH HITTING COACH/ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER
Iowa (AAA) Marty Pevey Mike Cather Brian Harper/Leo Perez Scott Barringer
Tennessee (AA) Buddy Bailey Storm Davis Desi Wilson/Guillermo Martinez Shane Nelson
Myrtle Beach (A) Mark Johnson David Rosario Mariano Duncan/Chris Gutierrez Peter Fagan
South Bend (A) Jimmy Gonzalez Brian Lawrence Jesus Feliciano/Osmin Melendez Jonathan Fierro
Eugene (Short A) Gary Van Tol Anderson Tavares Ricardo Medina/Terrmel Sledge Mike McNulty
Mesa (Rookie) Carmelo Martinez Ron Villone Oscar Bernard/Ty Wright Toby Williams
Dominican (Rookie) Juan Cabreja Armando Gabino Claudio Almonte Jose Alvarez
Venezuelan (Rookie) Pedro Gonzalez Eduardo Villacis Franklin Blanco Arnoldo Goite
Marty Pevey begins his third season as Triple-A Iowa's manager after serving as Chicago's catching coordinator for three seasons from 2010-12. Pevey served as the Single-A Peoria manager in 2009, his first season with the organization. Pevey has a combined 31 years of professional experience (13 years as a player and 18 years as a manager, coach or coordinator), and was named the 2009 Midwest League co-Manager of the Year. Joining Pevey at Iowa will be newly hired pitching coach, Mike Cather, who spent 2014 as Triple-A El Paso's pitching coach in the Padres system. Cather enters his 10th season as a coach after six seasons in the Red Sox system and three seasons in the San Diego organization. Originally drafted by the Rangers in 1993, he pitched in parts of three seasons with the Braves from 1997-99. Brian Harper returns for his third season as Iowa's hitting coach after managing Double-A Tennessee in 2011 and Single-A Daytona in 2012. A former catcher, Harper played 16 seasons in the majors with seven teams. Rounding out the coaching staff is former Cubs farmhand Leo Perez, who begins his seventh season as a coach in the organization and first with Iowa. Scott Barringer returns for his second season as the athletic trainer with Iowa and third in the Cubs organization.
Buddy Bailey begins his fourth-straight season (and fifth overall) as Tennessee's manager after guiding the Smokies to a 214-203 (.513) mark in the last three seasons. 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 27th year as a manager and his 10th with the organization. Storm Davis begins his third season with the organization and his second as Tennessee's pitching coach after serving in the same role with Daytona in 2013. The former righthander went 113-96 with a 4.02 ERA during a 13-year big league career. Desi Wilson, entering his eighth season with the organization, returns as the hitting coach for a third year after handling the same duties at Daytona in 2012. The only new member of the Smokies staff, Guillermo Martinez, joins as an assistant coach after serving in a similar role last season with Single-A Boise. Shane Nelson rounds out the staff as the team's athletic trainer for the second-straight season.
Mark Johnson takes over as the manager of the Cubs new Single-A affiliate, Myrtle Beach. Entering his fifth season in the organization, Johnson spent the last two seasons as manager at Single-A Kane County, where he led the Cougars last season to a 91-49 record and a Midwest League championship after sweeping through the playoffs with a 7-0 record. Johnson began his managerial career in 2011 with Boise after enjoying a 17-year professional playing career that included 332 major league games with four clubs. Handling pitching coach duties at Myrtle Beach will be David Rosario, who begins his 11th year in the Cubs system and served with Johnson last season at Kane County. Mariano Duncan returns for his third season as the club's high-A 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 Dodgers major league first base coach. Rounding out the coaching staff is Chris Gutierrez who began his coaching career last season as an assistant coach with Single-A Kane County. Peter Fagan returns to Myrtle Beach as the athletic trainer.
Jimmy Gonzalez begins his second season as a manager in the organization, taking over the Cubs new Single-A affiliate in South Bend. Gonzalez made his managerial debut last season with Rookie-League Mesa after serving as hitting coach with the club in 2013. A former catcher, he played 14 minor league seasons after he was selected in the first round of the 1991 Draft by Houston. Brian Lawrence enters his first season as South Bend's pitching coach after serving in the same role with Boise in 2014. Lawrence made his coaching debut in 2012 in the Independent Frontier League and spent 2013 as the pitching coach of Single-A Lake Elsinore in the Padres system. The former righthander went 50-63 with a 4.19 ERA during a six-year big league career with the Padres and Mets. Jesus Feliciano moves up to South Bend after serving as the hitting coach last season at Boise in his debut year as a coach. He enjoyed a 16-year playing career from 1998-2013, including action in 54 games with the Mets in 2010. Osmin Melendez will serve as an assistant coach after coaching with Mesa last season and managing the Cubs Venezuela rookie league team in 2013. Jonathan Fierro begins his third season as an athletic trainer in the organization after serving in Kane County in 2014 and Boise in 2013.
Gary Van Tol returns for his third season as the club's short season-A manager as the Cubs begin a new affiliation with the Eugene Emeralds. Van Tol guided Boise to consecutive 41-35 records in his first two seasons, securing a playoff berth both years. Prior to becoming a manager, Van Tol served as bench coach in Boise for five years and has extensive experience as a coach in the college ranks, including as an assistant at his alma mater, Gonzaga. Joining the staff at Eugene will be pitching coach, Anderson Tavares, who spent the last two seasons with Rookie-League Mesa. Tavares played in the Cubs system from 2000-05 and worked as a pitching coach with the Cubs Dominican Summer League team from 2007-12. Ricardo Medina enters his first season as hitting coach with Single-A Eugene after two years with Mesa. He has been involved in the Cubs organization since 1999 as a coach, manager or scout. A new addition to the organization, former major league outfielder Terrmel Sledge rounds out the coaching staff as an assistant coach. Mike McNulty joins Eugene as the team's athletic trainer after serving in the same role last season with Mesa.
Carmelo Martinez enters his 18th season in the organization, and begins his second stint as manager with Mesa after serving in the role from 1999-2003, and again in 2006. He has a career record of 159-185 (.462) as Mesa's manager. Martinez previously served as the Cubs Latin America field coordinator for six seasons and played in the majors from 1983-91 with the Cubs, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Royals and Reds. Ron Villone begins his fourth season as a coach in the Cubs organization and first with Mesa. A former left-handed pitcher, he played in all or part of 15 major league seasons from 1995-2009 with 12 teams. Oscar Bernard begins his first season as the hitting coach for Mesa after spending the previous two seasons as the Dominican Cubs hitting coach. Ty Wright joins the staff as an assistant coach after an eight-year playing career, seven of which came in the Cubs system. Toby Williams begins his second season in the organization and first as Mesa's athletic trainer.
Juan Cabreja returns for a second-consecutive year as manager of the Dominican Cubs after previously managing the club from 2007-08 and managing the Cubs second Dominican club in 2012. He led the team to a 42-28 mark last season and has a 244-204 (.545) overall managerial record. Armando Gabino enters his first season as a pitching coach in the organization after a playing career that saw him pitch in seven games over two seasons with the Twins and Orioles. Claudio Almonte also joins the organization as the Dominican Cubs hitting coach after managing the Mariners Dominican Summer League team in 2014. Jose Alvarez begins his second season as the club's athletic trainer.
Pedro Gonzalez begins his second year as the Venezuelan Cubs manager after going 28-40 in his first season. He will be joined by pitching coach, Eduardo Villacis, and hitting coach, Franklin Blanco. Villacis enters his first season with the organization, while Blanco begins his ninth year with the organization and his third-straight season in Venezuela. Arnoldo Goite returns as the club's athletic trainer.