Mariners announce Minor League coaching staff for 2016 season
Mike Micucci, David Macias, Carlos Chantres, Pete Harnisch, John Hester, Scott Brosius, Mitch Canham, Ethan Katz, Zac Livingston, Moises Hernandez and Yoel Monzon added to staff.
Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and Director of Player Development Andy McKay announced today the Mariners Minor League Coaching Staff for the 2016 season.
To support the minor league club managers and coaches, the Mariners player development program has assembled a 18-man group of coordinators, led by new Field Coordinator Mike Micucci. After his minor league playing career (1994-1999), Mike coached and managed in the minor leagues for 14 years before joining the Angels organization as Fielding Coordinator in 2012. Jack Howell will serve as Offensive Coordinator, and Dan Wilson as Defensive Coordinator in the minor league system. Rick Waits remains in the organization as Pitching Coordinator. On the international operations side, David Macias is the new Coordinator of International Player Programs. Jose Moreno continues as Latin America Field Coordinator and Carlos Chantres joins the organization as Latin America Pitching Coordinator. Jim Pankovits returns as Infield Coordinator along with Brant Brown as Outfield Coordinator. Alvin Davis enters his 6th season as Special Assistant Coordinator. Two new additions to Mariners farm system are former Major League pitcher Pete Harnisch as Special Assistant/Player Development, and John Hester as Special Assistant/Player Development & Scouting.
Pat Listach returns Triple-A Tacoma for the second consecutive season after the Rainiers finished 68-76 in 2015. He has more than 20 years of professional baseball experience as a Major League player, coach and coordinator, and manager in the minor leagues, including a career minor league managerial mark of 324-293 (.525). Scott Brosius joins the Mariners organization as the Rainiers hitting coach. Prior to joining Tacoma he spent 14 seasons as a coach for Linfield College, including the last eight seasons as manager. As manager, Brosius compiled a 270-96 win-loss record while leading the Wildcats to a national championship, four regional titles and five Northwest Conference crowns. Brosius appeared in parts of 11 Major League seasons with Oakland (1991-1997) and New York-AL (1998-2001), batting .257 (1001x3889) with 544 runs scored, 200 doubles, 8 triples, 141 home runs, 531 RBI and 57 walks over 1,146 career games. Lance Painter enters his 11th season with the Mariners, but his first as the Rainiers pitching coach after spending the last two seasons as the pitching coach with the Mariners Double-A affiliate, the Jackson Generals. Tom Newberg will serve as the clubs athletic trainer and Derek Mendoza will be the team's performance coach.
Daren Brown, who spent the last two seasons as the Mariners Bunting and Baserunning Coordinator, will take over as Manager of the Mariners Double-A affiliate the Jackson Generals. Brown enters 16th season in the Mariners organization and has compiled a 1007-914 record (.524) over 16 seasons as a manager in the minor leagues. Andrew Lorraine, begins his first season as pitching coach for the Generals, but his 6th season as a pitching coach in the Mariners organization. He spent the last two seasons a pitching coach for the Mariners High-A affiliate in the California League (Bakersfield-2015, High Desert 2014). Roy Howell returns the Jackson as the team's hitting coach for second consecutive season. The rest of his staff will include athletic trainer BJ Downie and performance coach Aaron Reis.
The Mariners single-A affiliate in the California League, the Bakersfield Blaze, will be managed by Eddie Menchaca, who returns for his third season with the team. His staff includes pitching coach Ethan Katz, hitting coach Max Venable, athletic trainer Geoff Swanson and performance coach Andy Lyon. Katz joins the Mariners organization after spending the last three years as a minor league pitching coaching in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 47th round of the 2001 MLB June Amateur Draft from University High School (Los Angeles, CA), but chose to attend California State University instead. Katz pitched three seasons in the Colorado Rockies organization (2005-08) and one year pitching the Independent League (2009).
Mitch Canham enters his first season in the Mariners minor league organization at the helm of Seattle's affiliate in the Midwest League, the Clinton LumberKings. Canham, who was born in Richland, WA and grew up in Lake Stevens, WA, attended Oregon State University and was selected in the first round (57th overall) by the San Diego Padres in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Over 8 seasons in the minor leagues with the Padres (2007-2010), Athletics (2011), Cardinals (2012), Royals (2013) and Nationals (2014) he hit .253 (473x1872) with 243 runs scored, 90 doubles, 19 triples, 23 home runs and 238 RBI in 542 career games. He also appeared in the Independent Leagues in 2012 and 2015. His staff includes pitching coach Rich Dorman, who is returning for his 8th season in the organization, trainer Mathew Corvo and performance coach Paul Howey.
Rob Mummau enters his 16th season in the Mariners minor league organization and his second season at the helm of Seattle's Northwest League affiliate, the Everett AquaSox. Mummau led the AquaSox to a 42-34 record, including finishing tied for the best overall record in the Northwest League North division. He has led his squad to the postseason four times, including last season with Everett, accumulating a 240-189 (.559) record. Moises Hernandez enters his first season as pitching coach after wrapping his baseball career after the 2015 season. Hernandez, who is the older brother of Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez was 37-47 with a 5.05 ERA over 11 seasons in the minor league. Hitting coach Brian Hunter returns for his second season, while Shane Zdebiak will serves as the team's trainer for the third straight season.
Zac Livingston begins his coaching career with the Mariners Rookie affiliate the Arizona League Mariners. He spent four seasons as a minor league catcher in the Angels organization (2012-15) after being selected by Los Angeles in the 34th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Arizona Christian University. Andy Bottin, who is entering his 22nd season in the organization, and James Lofton will serve as hitting coaches for the Mariners. Yoel Monzon enters his first season as pitching coach and Randy Roetter returns for his 15th season with the team as the athletic trainer.
The coaching assignments are listed below. * notes new hire for 2016 season:
Roving Instructors:
Field Coordinator:........................................ Mike Micucci*
Coordinator, Int'l Player Programs............... David Macias*
Offensive Coordinator................................. Jack Howell
Special Assistant Coordinator....................... Alvin Davis
Defensive Coordinator................................ Dan Wilson
Pitching Coordinator:................................... Rick Waits*
LA/Low-Level Pitching Coordinator.............. Carlos Chantres*
Infield Coordinator...................................... Jim Pankovits
Outfield Coordinator:.................................. Brant Brown
Mental Skills Coach...................................... Michael Gerson
Latin America Field Coordinator:.................. Jose Moreno
Athletic Training Coordinator:...................... Jimmy Southard
Assistant AT Coordinator:............................ Ben Fraser
Latin Athletic Training Coordinator............... Javier Alvidrez
Rehab Pitching Coordinator:........................ Gary Wheelock
Performance Coordinator............................ Rob Fumagalli
Special Assistant, Player Development......... Pete Harnisch*
Special Assistant, PD/Scouting..................... John Hester*
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