Rangers finalize staff of minor league coordinators
OF Carlos Peguero signed to minor league contract with spring training invitation; Club re-signs seven minor league free agents
The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has finalized its staff of minor league roving instructors. Additionally, the team has signed outfielder Carlos Peguero (pronounced peh-GEHR-oh) to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training.
The list of minor league coordinators:
Field - Casey Candaele
Hitting - Josue Perez
Pitching - Danny Clark
Assistant Hitting/Outfield - Dwayne Murphy
Catching - Chris Briones
Asst. Catching - Juan Lopez
Baserunning - Bruce Hines
Former major league infielder Casey Candaele has been promoted to field coordinator after four seasons as the organization's infield and baserunning instructor. Danny Clark will enter his 10th season in the Texas organization and seventh as minor league pitching coordinator. Josue Perez has been a hitting coach in the Texas minor league system for each of the last seven seasons, including the 2014 campaign with the club's High-A affiliate. Chris Briones has been a part of the club's pro scouting staff for the last three seasons and was a catcher during a nine-year minor league career.
Six-time Gold Glove winner Dwayne Murphy was a part of the Toronto major league staff from 2008-13 as a first base and hitting coach, and was the hitting coach for a 2001 Diamondbacks club that won the World Series. Lopez was a roving minor league catching instructor with the Cincinnati Reds in 2014 following six seasons as the club's bullpen coach, as well as previous stints as a big league coach. Hines spent the last five seasons as the field coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers after serving as third base coach for the 2009 Mariners, and enters his 31st season as a coach or manager this season.
Peguero, who will turn 28 on February 22, was in the Kansas City organization in 2014 after being acquired in a trade with Seattle last January. He spent the bulk of last season with Triple-A Omaha, where he batted .266 with 30 home runs and 76 RBI in 104 games. He led the Pacific Coast League by averaging a home run every 12.27 at-bats, and ranked among league leaders in home runs (2nd) and slugging (4th, .563).
Peguero was 2-for-9 over 4 big league games in September and has seen major league action in each of the last four seasons, posting a career .196 average with 9 home runs and 28 RBI in 69 contests with Seattle (2011-13) and Kansas City (2014). He is currently playing for Cibao in the Dominican Winter League playoffs after posting a .271/.428/.542 slash line with 8 home runs, 20 RBI, and 25 runs scored over 31 games in the regular season.
SEVEN SIGN MINOR LEAGUE DEALS: The Rangers have signed seven players to minor league contracts for 2015. INF Edwin Garcia, LHP Chad James, RHP Kyle Lotzkar, RHP Francisco Mendoza, INF Guilder Rodriguez, INF J.T. Wise, and C Kevin Torres will all be in minor league camp this spring. Rodriguez made his major league debut with the Rangers in September and appeared in seven games.