Astros Announce Woodpeckers Coaching Staff For 2023

(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) — The Houston Astros announced the Fayetteville Woodpeckers coaching staff Thursday, February 23rd, with Ricky Rivera debuting as Manager for the 2023 Season alongside a new field staff.

Joining Rivera on the Woodpeckers coaching staff are Pitching Coach Zach Wilkins, Hitting Coach Luis Reynoso, Developmental Coach Dylan Mazzo, Trainer Jennifer Bardales, and Strength Coach Kevin Rivera.

Rivera is the fourth Manager in Woodpeckers history, replacing Dickie Joe Thon who departs to manage Double-A Corpus Christi this season. Rivera joined the Astros minor league coaching staff as Manager of the GCL Astros in June 2020. He then managed the FCL Astros/Astros Blue for two seasons, posting a 54-56 record, including a 26-28 mark in 2022.

Wilkins joins the Astros organization after three seasons as the Pitching Coach at Utah Tech University (previously Dixie State). He also has collegiate coaching experience at Iowa Western Community College and the University of Arizona.

Reynoso comes to the Woodpeckers after serving as the Hitting Coach for the FCL Astros Orange in 2022. He previously was hired in 2020 as a Hitting Coach for the DSL Astros Orange. Reynoso also played five seasons in the Houston organization from 2012-16, reaching Class A-Advanced.

Mazzo is in his second season in the Astros organization, beginning his tenure as the Developmental Coach for the Corpus Christi Hooks in 2022. That follows three seasons as a Defensive Coach with the Los Angeles Angels and six seasons coaching collegiately at four different schools.

Bardales is in her third season with Houston, previously working on Rivera’s staff with the FCL Astros Blue in 2022 after beginning in the organization in 2021.

Kevin Rivera is in his third season in the Astros organization, also having worked on the FCL Astros Blue staff in 2022 as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. He has previously worked in strength and conditioning for the Detroit Tigers and USA Field Hockey.