2018 Coaching Staff Announcement
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced the coaching staffs for their full-season minor league affiliates for the 2018 season.
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced the coaching staffs for their full-season minor league affiliates for the 2018 season.
In El Paso, Rod Barajas returns for his fifth season in the Padres organization and his third as the manager of the club's Triple-A affiliate after helping guide the Chihuahuas to their second consecutive Pacific Coast League Championship appearance in 2017, falling one game shy of defending their PCL crown from 2016. Returning to the Chihuahuas coaching staff will be Pitching Coach Bronswell Patrick for his 11th season in the organization. He will be joined by Hitting Coach Morgan Burkhart, who returns for his sixth season in the organization and third with the Chihuahuas. Lance Burkhart will join the staff in 2018 as fielding coach for his first season with El Paso and fourth in the Padres organization, previously serving as hitting coach for San Antonio in 2017. The Chihuahuas training staff will be led by Athletic Trainers Nate Stewart and Dan Turner and Strength Coach A.J. Russell.
Phillip Wellman returns for his third season in the Padres organization managing the Padres Double-A affiliate in San Antonio. The 2018 season will be Wellman's 30th season as a coach and 19th as a minor league manager. He was named Texas League Manager of the Year in 2017 and eclipsed the 1,000 win total as a minor league manager in April, finishing the 2017 campaign with 1,073 career wins. Returning to San Antonio will be Pitching Coach Jimmy Jones, entering his 10th season in the Padres organization after guiding the Missions pitching staff to a Texas League record 1,286 strikeouts in 2017. Joining the Missions will be Hitting Coach Raul Padron for his fourth season with the Padres organization after serving as hitting coach for Lake Elsinore in 2017. Also returning will be Fielding Coach Jonathan Meyer for his second season with the Missions and third with the Padres organization. San Antonio's training staff will be led by Athletic Trainer Isak Yoon and strength coach Drew Heithoff.
In Lake Elsinore,
The Fort Wayne TinCaps will be managed by Anthony Contreras, who returns for his fourth full season of managing in the Padres organization and third as the manager for the Single-A TinCaps after managing in Tri-City in 2015. Pitching Coach Burt Hooton returns for his sixth season with Fort Wayne and his 43rd overall in professional baseball after the TinCaps pitching staff set a Midwest League record with 1,307 strikeouts under his guidance. Joining the TinCaps coaching staff will be Hitting Coach Jonathan Mathews for his first season with Fort Wayne and second in the Padres organization after serving in 2017 as a Major League coach for the Padres. Jhonny Carvajal returns for his second season as fielding coach for Fort Wayne and third with the Padres organization. The TinCaps training staff will be led by Athletic Trainer Allyse Kramer and Strength Coach Sam Hoffman.