Felix's brother among Mariners' Minors staff
SEATTLE -- The Mariners announced their Minor League coaching staff on Friday, and there are some interesting names in the new mix, including Moises Hernandez -- the brother of Felix Hernandez -- as the new pitching coach of the Low-A Everett club.
Two Mariners Hall of Famers -- Dan Wilson and Alvin Davis -- remain in the organization as Minor League coordinators, and one-time Mariners interim manager Daren Brown takes over as manager of Double-A Jackson after working as a bunting and baserunning coordinator in the Minor League system the past two seasons.
New general manager Jerry Dipoto and director of player development Andy McKay put together a group of 18 coordinators, led by new field coordinator Mike Micucci, who was the Angels' field coordinator the past four years.
Jack Howell will be the offensive coordinator, Wilson will be defensive coordinator and former Mariners pitching coach Rick Waits will serve as the pitching coordinator, all serving as roving instructors in the new setup. Jim Pankovits returns as infield coordinator along with Brant Brown as outfield coordinator, while Davis -- the first member of the Mariners Hall of Fame -- enters his sixth season as special assistant coordinator.
Two new additions to the Mariners' farm system are former Major League pitcher Pete Harnisch as special assistant, player development and John Hester as special assistant, player development and scouting.
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.
On the individual club levels, Pat Listach returns for his second year as manager at Triple-A Tacoma. Scott Brosius, another former big leaguer, joins the Mariners organization as the Rainiers' hitting coach. He's spent the past 14 years as a coach at Linfield College.
Lance Painter enters his 11th season with the Mariners, but his first as the Rainiers' pitching coach after spending the past two seasons as the pitching coach with Double-A Jackson.
Brown, who has been in the Mariners organization the past 15 years and was interim manager in Seattle for 50 games in 2010, takes over as the skipper at Jackson. His staff will include pitching coach Andrew Lorraine, who moves up after two years at the High-A level, and second-year hitting instructor Roy Howell.
Eddie Menchaca returns as manager at High-A Bakersfield, and Max Venable is back as hitting coach. They'll be joined by new pitching coach Ethan Katz, who was a Minor League pitching coach for the Angels the past three years.
Northwest native Mitch Canham takes over as manager at Class A Clinton. Canham was born in Richland, Wash., and grew up in Lake Stevens, Wash., before attending Oregon State. He was drafted by the Padres in 2007 and spent eight seasons playing Minor League ball. Pitching coach Rich Dorman returns for the LumberKings, but no hitting coach has been named yet.
Rob Mammau returns for his 16th season in the Mariners organization and second as the manager at Low-A Everett. Hitting coach Brian Hunter also returns, while Hernandez -- the older brother of the Mariners' ace -- makes his coaching debut after retiring as a pitcher last season after 11 seasons in the Minors.
Zac Livingston, who spent the last four years as a Minor League catcher in the Angels organization, begins his coaching career as the manager of the Mariners' Rookie affiliate in the Arizona League. Andy Bottin and James Lofton will be the hitting coaches and Yoel Monzon the pitching coach.