SEATTLE, Wash -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and Director of Player Development Andy McKay announced today the Mariners Minor League Coaching Staff for the 2018 season.
Triple-A Tacoma - Pat Listach returns for the fourth at the helm of the Mariners Triple-A affiliate the Tacoma Rainiers in 2018. He has more than 20 years of professional baseball experience as a Major League player, coach, coordinator and manager in the minor leagues, including a career minor league managerial mark of 390-368 (.515). Both hitting coach Dave Berg, who is entering his 2nd season with the Mariners organization and pitching coach Lance Painter, who is entering his 13th season with the Mariners, will return to the Rainiers coaching staff.
Double-A Arkansas - Daren Brown returns for his third season as the Mariners Double-A manager, including his second with the Arkansas Travelers in the Texas League. He was named Southern League Manager of the Year in 2016 after leading led the AA club to a Southern League title. Brown enters his 21st season in the Mariners organization and has compiled a 1156-1044 record (.527) over 19 seasons as a manager in the minor leagues. Ethan Katz returns as the team's pitching coach for the second season, while Roy Howell enters his fourth season as the club's hitting coach.
High-A Modesto - Mitch Canham enters his third season in the Mariners minor league organization, including his second as the manager of the Mariners High-A affiliate the Modesto Nuts. He led the Nuts 74-66 record in 2017, including going a perfect 6-0 during the playoffs en route to a California League Championship. Canham helmed Seattle's affiliate in the Midwest League in 2016, leading the LumberKings to a league-best 86-56 record in first season as a manager. Canham, who was born in Richland, WA, and grew up in Lake Stevens, WA, attended Oregon State and was selected in the 1st round (57th overall) by San Diego in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Over 8 seasons in the minor leagues with the Padres (2007-2010), A's (2011), Cardinals (2012), Royals (2013) and Nationals (2014) he hit .253 (473x1872) with 243 runs scored, 90 doubles, 19 triples, 23 home runs and 238 RBI in 542 career games. His staff includes pitching coach Pete Woodworth and hitting coach Joe Thurston.
A Clinton - Denny Hocking enters his second season in the Mariners minor league organization, but his first at the helm of Seattle's affiliate in the Midwest League, the Clinton LumberKings. The 13-year Major League veteran compiled a .251 (591x2358) career average with 25 home runs and 226 RBI in 954 games with Minnesota (1993-2003), Colorado (2004) and Kansas City (2005). After retiring following the 2005 season he reentered the game as a coach in 2010. Prior to joining the Mariners last season as a hitting coach in Tacoma, he spent four seasons as a coach in the Angels organization. His staff includes returning pitching coach Doug Mathis and hitting coach Jose Umbria, who spent the 2017 season as a hitting coach with the Arizona League Mariners.
Short A Everett - Jose Moreno will manage the Everett AquaSox, Seattle's Northwest League affiliate for the second consecutive season. He enters his 18th season in the Mariners organization, including spending five seasons as the Mariners Latin America Field Coordinator prior to joining Everett. Moreno led the AquaSox to the 2010 Northwest League title. Danielin Acevedo and Moises Hernandez will serve as the AquaSox pitching coaches, while Eric Farris will enter his first season in the Mariners organization as the club's hitting coach. Farris was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round of the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Loyola Marymount. He played 9 minor league seasons in the Milwaukee (2005-2012) and Minnesota organizations (2013-15), including appearing in a combined 14 games with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 and 2012.
Rookie Peoria - Zac Livingston returns for his third season as manager with the Mariners Rookie affiliate, the Arizona League Mariners, including back-to-back postseason appearances and an Arizona League Championship in 2016. Prior to joining the Seattle organization, he spent four seasons as a minor league catcher in the Angels organization (2012-15) after being selected by Los Angeles in the 34th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Arizona Christian University. Yoel Monzon returns for his third season as the pitching coach for the AZL Mariners.
Dominican Academy - Cesar Nicolas enters his third season in the Mariners organization, including his second as the manager of the Mariners Academy team in the Dominican Summer League. Nicolas was named the Dave Henderson Minor League Staff Member of the Year following the 2017 season. After relocating to the Dominican Republic last year, he has been instrumental in leading the process in getting players signed, accelerating and improving their development and increasing the percentage who achieve the goal of playing in the Majors. His staff includes pitching coaches Jose Amancio and Alon Leichman, hitting coach David Flores and coaches Luis Caballero and Renny Osuna. Martin Vallerio begins his 8th season as the Director of the Dominican Republic Academy, while Luis Matias enters his first season as Assistant of Baseball Operations (DR).
To support the minor league managers and coaches, the Mariners player development program has assembled an 11-person group of coordinators, led by Coordinator of Organization Instruction Mike Micucci who returns for his third season with Seattle. Carson Vitale will enter his first season in the Seattle organization as the club's Field Coordinator. Alvin Davis (8th season), Pete Harnisch (3rd season) and Dan Wilson (5th season) will each serve as a Special Assistant. Oscar Marin returns as Pitching Coordinator, Tony Arnerich will be the Assistant Hitting and Catching Coordinator, while Hugh Quattlebaum (Hitting Coordinator), Cody Buckel (Organization Pitching Coach) and Brad Mills (Organization Pitching Development/Rehab Coach) join the organization. Leslie Manning returns as the Coordinator of Professional Development, while Craig Manning enters his 12th season as the Minor League Video Coordinator.
The coaching assignments are listed below. notes new hire for 2018 season:
Player Development Coordinators:
Coordinator of Organization Instruction:............................... Mike Micucci
Field Coordinator:............................................................... Carson Vitale
Special Assistant, Player Development.................................. Alvin Davis
Special Assistant, Player Development.................................. Pete Harnisch
Special Assistant, Player Development.................................. Dan Wilson
Pitching Coordinator:.......................................................... Oscar Marin
Hitting Coordinator............................................................. Hugh Quattlebaum*
Assistant Hitting Coordinator/Catching Coordinator.............. Tony Arnerich
Organization Pitching Coach................................................. Cody Buckel*
Organization Pitching Development/Rehab Coach................. Brad Mills*
Minor League Video Coordinator......................................... Craig Manning
Coordinator of Professional Development............................ Leslie Manning
Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers:
www.TacomaRainiers.com
Manager:.......................................... Pat Listach
Pitching Coach:................................. Lance Painter
Hitting Coach:................................... Dave Berg
Double-A Arkansas Travelers:
www.Travs.com
Manager:.......................................... Daren Brown
Pitching Coach:................................. Ethan Katz
Hitting Coach:................................... Roy Howell
Asst. Hitting Coach/Mental Skills........ Jimmy Van Ostrand
                                          
Single-A Modesto Nuts:
www.ModestoNuts.com
Manager:.......................................... Mitch Canham
Pitching Coach:................................. Pete Woodworth
Hitting Coach:................................... Joe Thurston
Single-A Clinton LumberKings:
www.LumberKings.com
Manager:.......................................... Denny Hocking
Pitching Coach:................................. Doug Mathis
Hitting Coach:................................... Jose Umbria
Short Season-A Everett AquaSox:
www.AquaSox.com
Manager:.......................................... Jose Moreno
Pitching Coach:................................. Danielin Acevedo
Pitching Coach:................................. Moises Hernandez
Hitting Coach:................................... Eric Farris*
Rookie Peoria Mariners:
Manager:....................................... Zac Livingston
Pitching Coach:.............................. Yoel Monzon
Clubhouse Manager:...................... Isaac Ruiz
Asst. MiL Clubhouse Manager:........ Nelson Martin
Dominican Academy:
Director of Dominican Admin........... Martin Valerio
Asst. Baseball Operations (DR)......... Luis Matias*
Manager:........................................ Cesar Nicolas
Pitching Coach:................................ Jose Amancio*
Pitching Coach:................................ Alon Leichman
Hitting Coach:................................. David Flores
Infield Coach:.................................. Richard Paz
Coach:............................................ Luis Caballero
Coach:............................................ Renny Osun