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 2017 season.
 
Triple-A Tacoma - Pat Listach returns for the third consecutive season after leading the Rainiers to the postseason 2016. He has more than 20 years of professional baseball experience as a Major League player, coach, coordinator and manager in the minor leagues, including a career minor league managerial mark of 324-293 (.525). Dave Berg joins the Mariners organization as the Rainiers hitting coach. Berg, who had a six-year big league career, spent the 2016 season as manager of the AA Jacksonville club in the Marlins system. Brian Hunter will serve as a coach in Tacoma, after spending the 2016 season in Everett. Lance Painter enters his 12th season with the Mariners, and his second as the Rainiers pitching coach after spending the previous two seasons as the pitching coach with the Mariners Double-A affiliate. Tom Newberg will serve as the club's athletic trainer and Derek Mendoza will be the team's performance coach.
 
Double-A Arkansas - Daren Brown returns for his second season as the AA manager, but his first with the Mariners new affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers. He led the AA club to a Southern League title in 2016. Brown spent the 2014-15 seasons as the Mariners Bunting and Baserunning Coordinator. Brown enters 17th season in the Mariners organization and has compiled a 1091-969 record (.530) over 17 seasons as a manager in the minor leagues. Ethan Katz begins his first season as pitching coach for the Travelers, but his 2nd season as a pitching coach in the Mariners organization. Katz spent three years as a minor league pitching coach 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 H.S. (Los Angeles), but chose to attend California State University instead. Eddie Menchaca, who managed the Mariners high-A affiliate in the Cal League last season, joins the AA staff as coach. Roy Howell returns as the team's hitting coach for his third season, while Aaron Reis will return as performance coach.
 
High-A Modesto - Mitch Canham enters his second season in the Mariners minor league organization, but his first as a manager in Cal League. He helmed Seattle's affiliate in the Midwest League in 2016. Canham, who was born in Richland, WA, and grew up in Lake Stevens, WA, attended Oregon State and was selected in the 1st round (57th overall) by San Diego in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Over 8 seasons in the minor leagues with the Padres (2007-2010), A's (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. His staff includes pitching coach Pete Woodworth, hitting coach Joe Thurston, coach Jim Pankovits and performance coach Andy Lyon. 
 
A Clinton - Pat Shine enters his first season in the Mariners minor league organization at the helm of Seattle's affiliate in the Midwest League, the Clinton LumberKings. His staff includes pitching coach Doug Mathis and hitting coach David Flores, who are both in their first year in the Mariners organization. James Lofton, who was hitting coach in Peoria in 2016, will be the other coach on the staff. Lyle Danley, who was in Everett last season, will be trainer and the performance coach will be Paul Howey.
 
Short A Everett - Jose Moreno, who is in his 17th season in the Mariners organization, will manage the AquaSox, Seattle's Northwest League affiliate. He spent the past five seasons as the Mariners Latin America Field Coordinator. Moreno led the AquaSox to the 2010 Northwest League title. Danielin Acevedo will be the pitching coach. He was pitching coach for the Mariners Dominican affiliate in 2016. Austin Knight will be hitting coach, while Andy Bottin, who is entering his 23rd season in the organization, will be the other coach. Michael Apodaca will serves as the team's performance specialist. 
 
Rookie Peoria - Zac Livingston returns for his second season as manager with the Mariners Rookie affiliate, the Arizona League Mariners after leading the club to an AZL title in 2016. 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. Moises Hernandez and Yoel Monzon will be pitching coaches. Monzon returns to Peoria, while Hernandez spent his first season as a pitching coach in 2016 with Everett. Hernandez is the older brother of Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez. Denny Hocking joins the Mariners organization as the hitting coach. He spent the 2016 season as the LA Angels minor league infield coordinator. Jose Umbria, who is entering his 23rd season in the organization, will be the other coach. Randy Roetter returns for his 16th season with the team as the athletic trainer and Kevin Childs will be performance specialist. 
 
Dominican Academy - Cesar Nicolas will manage the Mariners Academy team in the Dominican Summer League. His staff includes pitching coach Jose Veloz, hitting coach Selwyn Langaigne, infield coach Richard Paz and coaches Luis Caballero and Renny Osuna. Alexander Pons, George Drullard and Jose Rosa will be performance specialists, while Leonardo Santiago and Bladimir Frias will be the athletic trainers. 
 
To support the minor league managers and coaches, the Mariners player development program has assembled a 15-person group of coordinators, led by Field Coordinator Mike Micucci who returns for his second season with Seattle. Alvin Davis enters his 7th season as Special Assistant Coordinator. Dan Wilson returns as Defensive Coordinator, Brant Brown will be Offensive Coordinator, while Oscar Marin (Pitching Coordinator) and Tony Arnerich (Catching Coordinator) join the organization. Jimmy Southard is the Athletic Training Coordinator, Ben Fraser is the Assistant Athletic Training Coordinator and Javier Alvidrez is the Latin Athletic Training Coordinator. Rob Fumagalli will be Performance Coordinator. David Macias is Coordinator Player/Staff Systems, Alon Leichman joins as Coordinator of Organizational Learning, Jimmy VanOstrand is Coordinator, Character/Leadership Development, David Franco is Mental Skills Coach, Leslie Manning joins as Coordinator of Communication and Pete Harnisch returns as Special Assistant Player Development.
 
The coaching assignments are listed below. * notes new hire for 2017 season:
 
Player Development Coordinators:
Field Coordinator:........................................ Mike Micucci
Special Assistant Coordinator....................... Alvin Davis
Offensive Coordinator................................. Brant Brown
Defensive Coordinator................................ Dan Wilson
Pitching Coordinator:................................... Oscar Marin*
Catching Coordinator................................... Tony Arnerich*
Athletic Training Coordinator:...................... Jimmy Southard
Assistant AT Coordinator:............................ Ben Fraser
Latin Athletic Training Coordinator............... Javier Alvidrez
Coordinator, Player/Staff Systems............... David Macias
Performance Coordinator............................ Rob Fumagalli
Special Assistant, Player Development......... Pete Harnisch
Coordinator, Organizational Learning........... Alon Leichman*
Coordinator, Communication....................... Leslie Manning*
Character/Leadership Development............ Jimmy VanOstrand*
Mental Skills Coach...................................... David Franco*
 
Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers:
www.TacomaRainiers.com
Manager:................................... Pat Listach
Pitching Coach:........................... Lance Painter
Hitting Coach:............................. Dave Berg*
Coach......................................... Brian Hunter
Athletic Trainer: ......................... Tom Newberg
Athletic Trainer:.......................... BJ Downie
Performance Specialist:.............. Derek Mendoza
 
Double-A Arkansas Travelers:
www.Travs.com
Manager:................................... Daren Brown
Pitching Coach:........................... Ethan Katz
Hitting Coach:............................. Roy Howell
Coach......................................... Eddie Menchaca
Athletic Trainer:.......................... TBD
Asst. Performance Coordinator:.. Aaron Reis
 
Single-A Modesto Nuts:
www.ModestoNuts.com
Manager:................................... Mitch Canham
Pitching Coach:........................... Pete Woodworth
Hitting Coach:............................. Joe Thurston*
Coach......................................... Jim Pankovits
Athletic Trainer: ......................... TBD
Performance Specialist:.............. Andy Lyon
 
Single-A Clinton LumberKings:
www.LumberKings.com
Manager:................................... Pat Shine*
Pitching Coach:........................... Doug Mathis*
Hitting Coach:............................. David Flores*
Coach:........................................ James Lofton
Athletic Trainer: ......................... Lyle Danley
Performance Specialist:.............. Paul Howey
 
Short Season-A Everett AquaSox:
www.AquaSox.com
Manager:................................... Jose Moreno
Pitching Coach:........................... Danielin Acevedo
Hitting Coach:............................. Austin Knight*
Coach:........................................ Andy Bottin
Athletic Trainer:.......................... TBD
Performance Specialist:.............. Michael Apodaca
Rookie Peoria Mariners:
Manager:.............................. Zac Livingston
Pitching Coach:..................... Yoel Monzon
Pitching Coach:..................... Moises Hernandez
Hitting Coach........................ Denny Hocking*
Coach:.................................. Jose Umbria
Athletic Trainer: ................... Randy Roetter
Performance Specialist: ........ Kevin Childs
Clubhouse Manager:............. Isaac Ruiz
Clubhouse Assistant:............. Tony Gutierrez
 
Dominican Academy:
Director of Dominican Admin. Martin Valerio
Manager:.............................. Cesar Nicolas
Pitching Coach:..................... Jose Veloz*
Hitting Coach:....................... Selwyn Langaigne
Infield Coach:........................ Richard Paz
Coach:.................................. Luis Caballero
Coach:.................................. Renny Osuna
Performance Specialist:......... Alexander Pons
Performance Specialist:......... George Drullard
Performance Specialist:......... Jose Rosa*
Athletic Trainer:.................... Leonardo Santiago
Athletic Trainer:.................... Bladimir Frias*