Rangers announce 2013 Minor League coaching staffs
Joe Mikulik, Steve Mintz, Bobby Rose, and Jorge Orta join organization
Arlington, Texas – The Texas Rangers today announced the managers, coaches, and staff for all minor league affiliates in 2013. Texas affiliates have produced four different top seven finishes in overall win percentage the past five seasons, tied for the most by any major league organization in that span.
The club’s additions include Joe Mikulik (pronounced mick-uh-lick) as the organization’s outfield coordinator and Steve Mintz, Bobby Rose, and Jorge (pronounced George) Orta as coaches. Among the several new assignments for 2012 is Corey Ragsdale’s first full-season managerial post with the Hickory Crawdads and Kenny Holmberg managing a stateside affiliate for the first time.
Mikulik, a Weimer, Texas native, joins the Texas organization after spending the previous 13 seasons with the Colorado Rockies, all as the manager of the Low-A Asheville Tourists. In his 13-year run as Asheville manager, Mikulik compiled the most wins of any manager in Asheville history and was named the South Atlantic League Manager of the Year in 2007. Mikulik was Houston’s ninth round selection in the 1984 June Draft and played for 12 years in the Astros organization, rising to Triple-A Tuscon.
Mintz will mentor the pitchers at High-A Myrtle Beach in 2013 after spending the previous 11 seasons in the Minnesota Twins organization, including the last four with High-A Ft. Myers. Mintz pitched professionally for 12 seasons with Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Pittsburgh, and Anaheim after he was originally drafted as a catcher by the Dodgers in the 1990 June Draft. Rose will join the coaching ranks for the first time following a standout career in Japan with the Yokohoma BayStars and Chiba Lotte Marines in the Japanese Central League from 1993-2000 and 2003. Rose led the BayStars to a league championship in 1998 and batted .339 with 37 home runs and 153 RBI in 1999, setting a Central League record with 192 hits that was broken six years later by current Milwaukee outfielder Norichika Aoki. Orta had spent seven seasons in the Cincinnati organization, including each of the last three as a hitting coach in the Arizona League. A two-time All-Star, Orta batted .278 with 130 home runs and 745 RBI in a 16-year big league career with Chicago-AL, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Kansas City. Orta had spent the previous nine seasons in the Houston organization, with three of those campaigns as a manager at Martinsville (Rookie).
The organization will feature one new manager in 2013, as Kenny Holmberg takes the helm of the Arizona League Rangers after spending last season on the Myrtle Beach staff. Holmberg previously managed the Dominican Summer League Rangers in 2010 and 2011, guiding the club to winning records in both campaigns. Corey Ragsdale, who led the AZL Rangers to a league title in 2012, will pilot the Hickory Crawdads this season. In his managerial debut, Ragsdale led the Rangers to the first league championship by a Texas affiliate since 2008.
A look at the 2013 staff (changes from 2012 underlined in italics):
Round Rock (AAA)
Manager Bobby Jones
Pitching Brad Holman
Coach Scott Coolbaugh
Coach Spike Owen
Trainer Jason Roberts
Strength Ric Mabie
Frisco (AA)
Manager Steve Buechele
Pitching Jeff Andrews
Coach Jason Hart
Trainer Carlos Olivas
Strength Eric McMahon
Myrtle Beach (High-A)
Manager Jason Wood
Pitching Steve Mintz
Coach Josue Perez
Trainer Jeffrey Bodenhamer
Strength Anthony Miller
Hickory (Low-A)
Manager Corey Ragsdale
Pitching Ryan O’Malley
Coach Justin Mashore
Coach Humberto Miranda
Trainer Jacob Newburn
Strength Wade LaMont
Spokane (Short-A)
Manager Tim Hulett
Pitching Oscar Marin
Coach Bobby Rose
Coach Vinny Lopez
Trainer Sean Fields
Strength Ed Yong
Arizona (Rookie)
Manager Kenny Holmberg
Pitching Brian Shouse
Pitching Jose Jaimes
Coach Donzell McDonald
Coach Jorge Orta
Trainer Zach Jones
Strength Josiah Igono
Dominican (Rookie)
Manager Ryley Westman
Pitching Pablo Blanco
Pitching TBA
Hitting Guillermo Mercedes
Infield Jesus Ovalle
Bench Alexis Infante
Outfield Osvaldo Oliva
Strength Eduardo Thomas
Roving Instructors
Field Coordinator Jayce Tingler
Pitching Danny Clark
Infield/Baserunning Casey Candaele
Outfield Joe Mikulik
Catching Hector Ortiz
Special Assistant - Hitting Harry Spilman
Special Assistant - Pitching Mark Connor
Special Assignment Coach Brian Dayett
Coord. Dale Gilbert
Strength and Conditiong Coord. Napoleon Pichardo
Arizona Operations
Rehab Pitching Coordinator Keith Comstock
Rehab Athletic Trainer T.J. Nakagawa
Manager-Cultural Diversity Billy McLaughlin
Player Development Administrator Josh Shelton
Assistant Equipment Manager Chris Ackerman
In addition to the affiliate staffs, many of the club’s roving instructors return in 2013. Jayce Tingler enters his seventh season in the Texas organization and second in the role of field coordinator. Mark Connor and Harry Spilman each return as special assistants, while Danny Clark begins his eighth season in the Texas system and fifth as the organization’s pitching coordinator. Casey Candaele begins his third campaign as an infield/baserunning instructor. Hector Ortiz will instruct the organization’s catchers after leading the AZL Rangers to a division title in 2012. Brian Dayett will serve as a Special Assignment Coach for a second straight season. New addition Joe Mikulik rounds out the staff, instructing the organization’s outfield prospects.
Bobby Jones returns to Round Rock in 2013 for his 26th season as a coach or manager in the Texas organization. Pitching coach Brad Holman will make the jump to Round Rock from Myrtle Beach, where he led the Pelicans to the Carolina League’s lowest team ERA in each of the last two seasons. The former major leaguer will enter his fifth season as a pitching coach in the organization. University of Texas All-American Scott Coolbaugh will mentor the Round Rock hitters, beginning his seventh season in the Texas organization. Former major leaguer Spike Owen will return for a second season on the Round Rock staff as an extra coach.
The entire Frisco staff remains intact from a Texas League Championship appearance a season ago. Former Ranger Steve Buechele returns for his fourth season as manager at Frisco (AA), after leading the club to the playoffs in each of his first three campaigns. Pitching coach Jeff Andrews returns for his fourth full season at Frisco. This year will mark his 28th season as a minor league instructor. Andrews also served as the major league pitching coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008. Former Ranger Jason Hart will be in his second season with the ‘Riders after a two-year stint as Hickory’s hitting coach.
Jason Wood returns for his third season as Myrtle Beach manager and fifth season overall in the Texas organization. Wood has guided the Pelicans to playoff appearances in each of his first two seasons at the helm, the only club in the Carolina League to reach the postseason in both 2011 and 2012. Wood’s staff will feature a pair of new additions in pitching coach Steve Mintz and hitting coach Josue Perez. Mintz, who pitched professionally for 12 seasons, spent the previous 11 seasons with the Minnesota Twins organization, including the last four with High-A Ft. Myers. Perez will enter his eighth season overall in the Texas organization after spending last season with Hickory and the previous three campaigns with Spokane as a hitting instructor.
Corey Ragsdale has been elevated to his first full-season managing assignment in Hickory after guiding the Arizona League Rangers to a league championship in 2012. Justin Mashore will mentor the hitters at Hickory after serving as a hitting coach with the AZL Rangers last season. Ryan O’Malley jumps to Hickory from Spokane as he enters his fourth full season in the Texas organization. Humberto Miranda will be a part of the Hickory staff for the second straight season.
Former big leaguer Tim Hulett returns for his seventh season at the helm of the Spokane Indians, the longest tenured skipper in Indians history. Pitching coach Oscar Marin has been elevated to Spokane from the AZL Rangers for his third season overall in the Texas organization. Bobby Rose makes his professional coaching debut as the hitting coach for the Indians. Vinny Lopez enters his second season on the Spokane coaching staff.
Kenny Holmberg will return to a managerial role in 2013 after spending last season on the Myrtle Beach staff. Holmberg spent the previous two seasons at the helm of the organization’s Dominican Summer League entry, guiding the Rangers to a winning campaign in each season. Former Ranger southpaw Brian Shouse returns to the staff as a pitching coach in his second season with the organization. Jose Jaimes joins the staff as a pitching coach after four seasons as a pitching coach with the DSL Rangers. Donzell McDonald and Jorge Orta will split hitting coach duties at the complex. McDonald returns for a third season, while Orta joins the Rangers from the Cincinnati Reds organization.
The organization also announced the staff for its operations in the Dominican Republic, many of whom return from last year. Missouri native Ryley Westman takes the helm of the Rangers for a second straight season, after finishing tied for the fifth-most wins in the Dominican Summer League a season ago.