Rangers announce 2015 minor league coaching staffs

The Texas Rangers today announced the managers, coaches, and staff for the club's six U.S.-based minor league affiliates in 2015. In 2014, the club's six U.S.-based affiliates and two Dominican Summer League entries combined for the highest composite win percentage in minor league baseball.

The Texas organization features several new assignments in 2015, including new managers at each of the club's top three affiliates. Jason Wood will manage Triple-A Round Rock, Joe Mikulik will lead Double-A Frisco, and Spike Owen will take on a managerial role for the first time with High-A High Desert. 

Although the remainder of the staff is largely intact from a year ago, a pair of hitting coaches will join new clubs in 2015. Jose Perez will return to Hickory after two seasons with Myrtle Beach, while Bobby Rose joins the High Desert staff following a one-year stint with Hickory in 2014. In Arizona, former Ranger farmhand Salomon Manriquez has been hired as a hitting coach after spending the 2014 campaign as a coach in Spokane. Trainers with new clubs in 2015 include Dustin Vissering in Spokane and Alex Rodriguez in Arizona.

Wood will begin his fifth season as a manager and seventh season overall in the Texas organization next season. The former major league infielder has guided his clubs to postseason play in each of his four seasons as a manager. Pitching coach Brad Holman, hitting coach Justin Mashore, 2014 PCL Trainer of the Year Jason Roberts, and strength coach Ric Mabie all return to the Express next season.

Mikulik enters 2015 with over 1,000 victories as a minor league manager and will lead a club at the Double-A level for the first time in his career. He joined the Texas organization as a roving outfield instructor in 2013 and led High-A Myrtle Beach to the best overall record in the Carolina League last season. Mikulik's staff will include pitching coach Jeff Andrews, hitting coach Jason Hart, trainer Carlos Olivas, and strength coach Eric McMahon.

Owen, a former major league infielder, will pilot the High Desert Mavericks in their first season as a Texas affiliate. He spent the past four seasons on the Round Rock coaching staff following a two-year stint as the organization's infield coordinator. The High-A staff will still feature pitching coach Steve Mintz, trainer Jacob Newburn, and strength coach Anthony Miller plus Bobby Rose as the new hitting coach.

Corey Ragsdale will manage the Hickory Crawdads for a third straight year after leading the club to 80 wins last season. Pitching coach Oscar Marin, trainer Sean Fields, and strength coach Wade Lamont all return to Hickory next season, while Perez rejoins the club for the first time since 2012.

The Spokane staff remains mostly intact, as manager Tim Hulett will return for a ninth season at the helm of the Indians. Hulett's staff returns pitching coach Jose Jaimes, hitting coach Rick Down, and strength coach Ed Yong, while trainer Dustin Vissering joins the club after spending 2014 with the AZL Rangers.

The Arizona League Rangers will have five coaches return from their 2014 staff, including manager Kenny Holmberg. Additions to the staff in 2015 will be Manriquez and trainer Alex Rodriguez, who moves stateside after three seasons with the Dominican Summer League Rangers.