A's announce 2018 player development staff

The Oakland A's today announced their player development staff for the 2018 season.
 
Jim Eppard (minor league hitting coordinator), Gil Patterson (minor league pitching coordinator), Juan Navarette (minor league defensive coordinator), Ed Sprague (coordinator of instruction) and Steve Scarsone (traveling instructor) all return in their same player development roles. In addition, the A's have hired Hiram Bocachica as traveling instructor.
 
Fran Riordan was named manager at Triple-A Nashville after guiding Double-A Midland to the Texas League Championship in 2017. He managed Single-A Beloit in each of the previous two seasons after a 14-year career managing in the independent Frontier and Northern Leagues. Riordan has a 869-857 (.503) record in a 17-year managerial career. Rick Rodriguez (pitching coach), Eric Martins (hitting coach), Brad LaRosa (athletic trainer) and Henry Torres (strength and conditioning coach) all return to Nashville in 2017.
 
Scott Steinmann takes over at Midland after joining the Oakland organization as manager at Single-A Beloit in 2017. Prior to joining the A's organization, he spent 17 seasons on various coaching staffs in the Seattle Mariners farm system, including nine seasons as a manager. Steve Connelly and Tommy Everidge move from Single-A Stockton to Midland in 2017 to take over as pitching and hitting coaches respectively. Justin Whitehouse returns as athletic trainer and Omar Aguilar joins the club from Beloit as strength and conditioning coach.
 
Rick Magnante returns as manager at Single-A Stockton for the fourth consecutive season and is in his 22nd season in the A's organization. Pitching coach Bryan Corey moves up from Short-Season Vermont and hitting coach Brian McArn joins the club from Midland. ShaneZdebiak returns as athletic trainer and Matt Mosiman joins the A's organization as the Ports strength and conditioning coach.
 
Webster Garrison is the new manager at Beloit after helming the A's Arizona Rookie League club in 2017. It will be his 20th season as coach or manager in the A's farm system. Don Schulze moves from Midland to take over as pitching coach, Juan Dilone returns for his third consecutive season as hitting coach and Brian Thorson returns for his 35th season in the A's organization as an athletic trainer.
 
Aaron Nieckula returns for his fourth season as manager at Vermont and his 12th season managing in the A's farm system. He also serves as spring training and instructional league coordinator. Carlos Chavez takes over as pitching coach after spending 2017 at Beloit, while Lloyd Turner (hitting coach) and Toshiaki Nagahara (athletic trainer) also return to Vermont.
 
Eddie Menchaca will manage the A's affiliate in the Arizona Rookie League after spending nine seasons in the Seattle Mariners organization. He compiled a 441-460 record in seven seasons as a manager, most recently at Single-A Bakersfield in 2016. Pitching coach Gabriel Ozuna, hitting coach Ruben Escalera, coach Gabe Ortiz and athletic trainer Chris Lessner all return in 2018. Matt Rutledge takes over as strength and conditioning coach.
 
Ed Gitlitz returns as minor league technology and development manager and Jimmy Leo returns as minor league video assistant.