Tigers Announce Minor League Assignments For 2017

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers today announced the minor league field staff and roving personnel assignments for the 2017 season.

Dave Owen (Director, Player Development), Bill Dancy (Minor League Field Coordinator), Manny Crespo (Director, Latin American Player Development), Scott Fletcher (Infield Coordinator), Joe DePastino (Catching Coordinator), Bruce Fields (Hitting Coordinator), A.J. Sager (Pitching Coordinator), Jaime Garcia (Assistant Pitching Coordinator), Gene Roof (Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator), Brian Peterson (Performance Enhancement Instructor), Dr. George Carlo (Performance Coach), Sharon Lockwood (Coordinator of International Player Programs), Corey Tremble (Medical Coordinator), Steve Melendez (Minor League International Medical Coordinator) and Steve Chase (Strength and Conditioning Coordinator) will all return in their respective positions for the 2017 season. Josman Robles, who was the hitting coach for the GCL Tigers West last season, will be the Latin American Performance Coach in 2017.

For Triple A Toledo, Mike Rojas returns to the Tigers organization as the Mud Hens manager. Rojas, who was previously in the Tigers organization from 2004-13, served as Toledo's manager in 2007, leading the Mud Hens to an International League title. Rojas most recently worked as the Seattle Mariners bullpen coach in 2014-15. Brian Harper will be Toledo's hitting coach in 2017. Harper played 16 seasons in the majors, including one season with Detroit. Harper joins the Tigers organization after spending the previous six seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization, including the last four as hitting coach at Triple A Iowa. Pitching coach Jeff Pico, third base coach Basilio Cabrera, athletic trainer Chris McDonald and strength and conditioning coach Fred Murphy return to the Mud Hens staff in 2017.

At Double A Erie, Lance Parrish returns as the SeaWolves manager, while Willie Blair is back at the team's pitching coach and Phil Clark will again serve as Erie's hitting coach. Jeff Mathers, who was the strength and conditioning coach at Single A Lakeland in 2016, will be Erie's strength and conditioning coach in 2017, while T.J. Obergefell, who was the athletic trainer at Single A West Michigan last season, will be the athletic trainer for the SeaWolves this season.

Andrew Graham and Mark Johnson, who were the manager and pitching coach, respectively, at Single A West Michigan last season, will serve in those same roles for Single A Lakeland in 2017. Ramon Vazquez joins the Tigers organization in 2017 and will be the hitting coach for the Flying Tigers. Vazquez most recently worked in the Houston Astros organization since 2014 and spent the 2016 season as the manager at Single A Lancaster. Allan Williamson will serve as Lakeland's strength and conditioning coach and Chris Vick, who was the trainer at Single A Connecticut last season, will be the Flying Tigers' athletic trainer.

For Single A West Michigan, Mike Rabelo, who was the manager of Single A Connecticut in 2016, will be the Whitecaps manager in 2017. Jorge Cordova, who was the pitching coach at Single A Lakeland last season, and Mike Hessman, who was the hitting coach at Single A Connecticut in 2016, will also join Rabelo's staff at West Michigan. Matt Rosenhamer will serve as the strength and conditioning coach for West Michigan and Jason Schwartzman, who was the athletic trainer at Single A Lakeland last season, will be the Whitecaps athletic trainer in 2017.

Gerald Laird, who had a 12-year major league career, including three seasons with the Tigers, begins his professional coaching career as the manager at Single A Connecticut. Ace Adams returns to Connecticut's coaching staff in 2017 as the team's pitching coach, while Rafael Martinez, who was the manager for the GCL Tigers West in 2016, will be Connecticut's hitting coach. Edwin Ortiz will serve as Connecticut's strength and conditioning coach and Jarad Branski, who was the athletic trainer for the GCL Tigers West last season, will be the athletic trainer for Connecticut in 2017.

Rafael Gil will be the manager for the GCL (Gulf Coast League) Tigers West this season after spending one season as the GCL Tigers East manager. Mike Alvarez, who spent the previous 19 seasons in the Atlanta Braves organization, has been named pitching coach, while Francisco Contreras, who was a minor league player in the Tigers organization from 2010-15, will be the team's hitting coach. Marcos Sierra-Solar has been tabbed as the GCL Tigers West strength coach and Manny Peña will be the team's athletic trainer.

Jesus Garces, who was the manager for the DSL (Dominican Summer League) Tigers last season, will be the manager of the GCL Tigers East team in 2017. Carlos Bohorquez, Ramon Zapata and Carmelo Jaime return as the team's pitching coach, hitting coach and infield coach, respectively. Luis Rodriguez, who was the athletic trainer for the GCL Tigers East in 2016, will serve as the GCL Tigers East strength and conditioning coach this season.

Marco Yepez has been tabbed as the manager for the DSL Tigers. Yepez previously served as the manager for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League. Pitching coach Jose Parra, hitting coach Jose Ovalles, infield coach Carlos Quintero, outfield coach Sandy Acevedo, coach Soilo Perdomo, athletic trainer Luis Reyes and strength and conditioning coaches Rafael Suero and Thomas Muñoz all return to the DSL Tigers coaching staff in 2017.

The following are the field staff assignments at eight of the organization's minor league affiliates.

Toledo                        Erie                              Lakeland                     West Michigan

Manager                      Mike Rojas                   Lance Parrish               Andrew Graham           Mike Rabelo

Pitching Coach             Jeff Pico                       Willie Blair                    Mark Johnson              Jorge Cordova

Hitting Coach               Brian Harper                 Phil Clark                      Ramon Vazquez           Mike Hessman

Third Base Coach         Basilio Cabrera

Trainer                         Chris McDonald           T.J. Obergefell             Chris Vick                     Jason Schwartzman

Strength & Conditioning Fred Murphy                Jeff Mathers                Allan Williamson           Matt Rosenhamer

 

Connecticut                GCL Tigers West        GCL Tigers East         DSL Tigers     

Manager                      Gerald Laird                 Rafael Gil                     Jesus Garces               Marco Yepez

Pitching Coach             Ace Adams                   Mike Alvarez                Carlos Bohorquez        Jose Parra

Hitting Coach               Rafael Martinez            Francisco Contreras     Ramon Zapata              Jose Ovalles

Infield Coach                                                                                        Carmelo Jaime             Carlos Quintero

Outfield Coach                                                                                                                         Sandy Acevedo

Coach                                                                                                                                      Soilo Perdomo

Trainer                         Jarad Branski               Manny Peña                 TBD                             Luis Reyes

Strength & Conditioning Edwin Ortiz                   Marcos Sierra-Solar      Luis Rodriguez             Rafael Suero/Thomas Muñoz

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