The Chicago White Sox have announced their player development staff and assignments for the 2017 season under Chris Getz, who is entering his first year as the organization's director of player development. Getz was named to the position on October 21, replacing Nick Capra, who became the team's third-base coach.
Former major-league infielder Mark Grudzielanek will enter his first season in the organization as the manager at Class AAA Charlotte. Grudzielanek spent the previous two seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks player development system, serving as an assistant coordinator in 2016 and managing Class A Kane County in 2015. He led Kane County to an 84-54 record and a postseason berth in his only season as manager. Grudzielanek was a career .289 hitter (2,040-7,052) with 391 doubles, 36 triples, 90 home runs, 640 RBI, 946 runs scored and 133 stolen bases over 15 major-league seasons from 1995-2010 and was named a National League All-Star in 1996 and Rawlings Gold Glove® winner in 2006.
Grudzielanek will be joined by managers Julio Vinas (Class AA Birmingham), Willie Harris (Class A Winston-Salem), Justin Jirschele (Class A Kannapolis), Tim Esmay (Advanced Rookie Great Falls) and Ryan Newman (Arizona Rookie League). Harris, who was a member of the White Sox 2005 World Series championship team, will guide Winston-Salem after making his professional coaching debut last season as the hitting coach at Great Falls. Vinas, who managed the Knights in 2016, returns to lead the Barons for the 2017 season (also managed Birmingham from 2013-15).
Jirschele ("jer-sh-LEE") also will make his managerial debut with Kannapolis after serving as the Intimidators hitting coach last season in his first year as a professional coach. He played in the White Sox system from 2012-15. Esmay will return to managing at Great Falls (Winston-Salem in 2015) after serving as a coach with Charlotte in 2016, and Newman will shift to the AZL White Sox after leading Birmingham in 2016.
Steve McCatty (Charlotte) and John Ely (Great Falls) join returning pitching coaches Jose Bautista (Birmingham), Brian Drahman (Winston-Salem), Matt Zaleski (Kannapolis) and Felipe Lira (Arizona Rookie). McCatty served as the pitching coach with Class A Lake County in the Indians system in 2016 after working eight years in the major-leagues with Oakland (2002) and Washington (2009-2015). During McCatty's seven-year tenure, the Nationals owned the fifth-lowest ERA (3.75) in the NL.
Additional changes include Richard Dotson being named the organization's new pitching coordinator, replacing Curt Hasler, and Mike Gellinger the new hitting coordinator. Dotson served as the pitching coach at Charlotte from 2008-16, and Gellinger is entering his 29th season in the White Sox organization. Kirk Champion also will serve as the director of minor-league instruction after working as the field coordinator from 2012-16.
Following are the White Sox full player development assignments for 2017:
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTORS
Director of Player Development: Chris Getz
Director of Minor League Instruction: Kirk Champion
Pitching Coordinator: Richard Dotson
Hitting Coordinator: Mike Gellinger
Catching Coordinator: John Orton
Outfield/Baserunning Coordinator: Aaron Rowand
Infield Coordinator: Vance Law
Camp Coordinator/Assistant, Player Development: Tommy Thompson
Pitching Assistant: J.R. Perdew
Assistant, Player Development: Rafael Santana
Conditioning Coordinator: Dale Torborg
Latin/Cultural Development Coordinator: Anthony Santiago
Minor League Medical/Rehabilitation Coordinator: Scott Takao
Physical Therapist: TBD
Coaching Assistant: Jerry Hairston
CLASS AAA CHARLOTTE
Manager: Mark Grudzielanek                        
Pitching Coach: Steve McCatty                                
Hitting Coach: Andy Tomberlin
Coach: Garey Ingram            
Trainer: Scott Johnson                                              
Conditioning: Shawn Powell                                      
CLASS AA BIRMINGHAM
Manager: Julio Vinas             
Pitching Coach: Jose Bautista                                   
Hitting Coach: Cole Armstrong
Trainer: James Kruk
Conditioning: Tim Rodmaker                   
CLASS A WINSTON-SALEM
Manager: Willie Harris                                   
Pitching Coach: Brian Drahman
Hitting Coach: Charlie Poe
Trainer: Josh Fallin                                     
Conditioning: George Timke
CLASS A KANNAPOLIS
Manager: Justin Jirschele
Pitching Coach: Matt Zaleski
Hitting Coach: Jamie Dismuke
Trainer: Joe Geck
Conditioning: Goldy Simmons
ADVANCED ROOKIE GREAT FALLS
Manager: Tim Esmay
Pitching Coach: John Ely
Hitting Coach: Eric Richardson
Trainer: Margaret Rall
Conditioning: TBD
ARIZONA ROOKIE LEAGUE
Manager: Ryan Newman
Pitching Coach: Felipe Lira
Hitting Coach: Gary Ward
Trainer: Cory Barton
Conditioning: Ibrahim Rivera
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ACADEMY
Academy Supervisor: Ever Magallanes
Complex Operations Coordinator: Manuel Santana
Field Coordinator: Guillermo Reyes
Manager: Julio Valdez
Pitching Coach: Leo Hernandez
Hitting Coach: Angel Gonzalez
Catching Coach: TBD
Outfield Coach: TBD
Trainer: Jose Del Villar
Conditioning Coach: Pedro Gomez