Edwin Rodriguez will serve as the new manager for Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore, the Padres announced Thursday. The club also announced Minor League managers Rod Barajas, Phillip Wellman and Anthony Contreras will all be returning to lead their respective teams within the organization.
Rodriguez managed the Marlins for parts of the 2010 and '11 seasons prior to spending five seasons with the Indians' organization. He also guided Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2017. Pete Zamora will serve as the new pitching coach for the Storm after serving in the same role for the organization's Rookie level affiliate last season. Former Fort Wayne hitting coach Doug Banks will serve in that same role for the Storm in 2018 in what will be his first year with the club. Freddy Flores returns for his second season as the team's fielding coach.
Barajas will be back for his third season as the manager for Triple-A El Paso and fifth as a member of the Padres' organization. Pitching coach Bronswell Patrick and hitting coach Morgan Burkhart return to Barajas' staff as Lance Burkhart joins the Chihuahuas as the team's fielding coach after previously serving as the hitting coach for Double-A San Antonio in 2017.
Wellman rejoins San Antonio for his third season at the helm after being named Texas League Manager of the Year. Pitching coach Jimmy Jones returns for his 10th season within the Padres' organization, while fielding coach Jonathan Meyer is back for his third season. Raul Padron, hitting coach for Lake Elsinore in 2017, joins San Antonio as its new hitting coach.
The 2018 season will be the third as Class A Fort Wayne manager for Contreras, who has spent four years in total as a manager within the Padres' organization. Pitching coach Burt Hooton returns for his sixth season with the TinCaps, and Johnny Carvajal returns for his second season as fielding coach while the club brings on Jonathan Mathews as its new hitting coach for 2018.
Athletic trainers Nate Stewart and Dan Turner and strength coach A.J. Russell will lead the training staff for El Paso, while athletic trainer Isak Yoon and strength coach Drew Heithoff lead the training staff for San Antonio. Lake Elsinore's training staff is led by athletic trainer Ricky Huerta and strength coach Jay Young, while Fort Wayne's is headed by athletic trainer Allyse Kramer and strength coach Sam Hoffman.