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Mariners announce 2015 Minor League staffs

Former infielder Pat Listach is joining the Mariners as their Triple-A manager, the club announced on Tuesday. The Mariners will return six other managers from their farm system on their Minor League staffs for 2015.

Listach, taking over the Tacoma Rainiers, spent the 2014 season as the third-base coach for the Astros. He has over 20 years of experience in professional baseball as a player, Major League and Minor League coach, and Minor League manager and coordinator. Prior to last season, Listach was the Dodgers' Minor League infield coordinator in 2013 and coached on the Major League staffs for the Cubs (2011-12) and Washington Nationals (2009-10). He also has nine years of Minor League coaching experience in the Cubs' system from 2000-08.

Pitching coach Jaime Navarro, who is entering his seventh season with the Mariners' organization and hitting coach Cory Snyder, who is entering his fifth season with the organization, are each returning for their second season with the Rainiers. Tom Newberg and Tyler Moos will serve as part of the training staff, while Will Lindholm will be the team's performance coach.

James Horner will return for his second season as manager of the Mariners' Double-A affiliate, the Jackson Generals. Horner enters his ninth season with the Mariners (2005-10, 2013-current), but third as manager since returning to the organization in 2013. Pitching coach Lance Painter and hitting coach Roy Howell will round out the staff in Jackson. Painter enters his 10th season with the Mariners, including his fifth with Jackson (2010-12, 2013-current).

The rest of his staff will include athletic trainer BJ Downie and performance coach Derek Mendoza.

The Mariners, who have had an affiliate in the Class A Advanced California League since 1978, will move affiliations to Bakersfield in 2015. Manager Eddie Menchaca, who managed the High Desert Mavericks last season, will return for his second season leading the Mariners' affiliate. He enters his seventh season in the Mariners' organization, including five as manager. Menchaca has led his squad to the postseason in four of the last five seasons.

Pitching coach Andrew Lorraine and hitting coach Max Venable each return to Menchaca's staff for the second consecutive season. Lorraine is entering his sixth season as a pitching coach in the Mariners' Minor League system, while Venable returns for his second season as hitting coach. Geoff Swanson, who served as the Clinton LumberKings' trainer in 2014, will begin his first season with Bakersfield, and first-year performance coach Aaron Reis round out the Blaze staff.

The Class A Midwest League Clinton LumberKings will be managed by Scott Steinmann, who returns for his second consecutive season with the team. His staff includes returning pitching coach Cibney Bello, who is entering his third season with the Mariners' organization, and hitting coach Mike Kinkade, who is beginning his fifth season with Seattle. Athletic trainer Matt Corvo is entering his first season with Clinton.

Rob Mummau, who managed the Everett AquaSox in 2012 and 2013, returns to the helm of the Seattle's Class A affiliate in the Northwest League, after managing the Pulaski Mariners in 2014. Mummau enters his 14th season with the Mariners, his fifth as manager. He has led his squad to the postseason three times, accumulating a 198-155 (.561) record.

Jason Blanton, who also served as the Pulaski Mariners' pitching coach in 2014, enters his first season with Everett, and hitting coach Mike Davis returns for his second consecutive season with the AquaSox. Trainer Shane Zdebiak enters for his second season in the Mariners' organization as AquaSox team trainer.

Darrin Garner, who enters his 19th season in the Mariners' organization, returns for the third season as manager of the Peoria Mariners in the Arizona League. Andy Bottin and James Lofton will serve as coaches for the Mariners, and Rich Dorman will be the team's pitching coach. Randy Roetter returns for his 14th season with the team as trainer and Scott Burgett will be the Mariners' performance coach.

Manager Jose Umbria will take over at the helm of the Mariners' Dominican Summer League team after serving as coach for the Arizona League Mariners in 2014. Pitching coach Danielin Acevedo, coaches Francisco Gerez and Jose Guillen and trainer Leonardo Jimenez will comprise the rest of the Dominican Summer League staff.

Manager Russell Vasquez, pitching coach Carlos Hernandez, coaches Alex Delgado, Richard Paz and Selwyn Langaigne, and trainers Johnny Molina and Luis Fermin, will comprise the staff of the Mariners' Venezuela Summer League team.

T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger.
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