Delmarva Shorebirds Announce 2022 Coaching Staff

SALISBURY, MD. -- Today, the Delmarva Shorebirds, in conjunction with the Baltimore Orioles, announced the 2022 field staff that will lead the Shorebirds in the 2022 season. Leading Delmarva for the 2022 campaign is Manager Felipe Alou, Jr. entering his first season as the Shorebirds skipper joined by Joe Haumacher, Brink Ambler, Daniel Fajardo, Collin Murray, Julio Ibarra, and Liz Pardo.

Felipe Alou, Jr. embarks on his first year as manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds in 2022 becoming the 17th manager in Delmarva Shorebirds history. Bringing a plethora of familiarity and coaching prowess to the dugout, Alou has served 15 years in the Orioles organization including time as the Assistant to the Dominican Baseball Commissioner in 2007 (a branch of the MLB Commissioner’s office).

Prior to taking the helm for Delmarva, Alou served as the Orioles’ Director of the Dominican Republic Academy marking 2022 as his managerial debut. Before jumping into the coaching ranks, Alou played three seasons as an outfielder in the Kansas City Royals organization, one season with the Montreal Royales in the Canadian Baseball League, and nine seasons for Escogido of the Dominican Winter League bringing plenty of playing experience as he leads the 2022 Shorebirds.

Alou comes from a family tree of baseball riches as both managers and players. Alou’s father, Felipe Alou, was the first ever Dominican manager in the history of major league baseball leading both the Montreal Expos and San Francisco Giants. In addition, Alou is brothers with former New York Mets Manager Luis Rojas and shares a bloodline with former Orioles great Moises Alou who played 17 seasons in the big leagues.

Joe Haumacher continues his journey through the Orioles’ minor league coaching ranks after spending the 2021 season as the pitching coach at the Orioles Florida complex league. After playing his college days at Old Dominion University, Haumacher began his coaching career in 2012 serving time on four collegiate staffs including four seasons as a rotational athlete specialist at the University of Southern California.

Brink Ambler begins his second season on the Delmarva Shorebirds coaching staff and his first as Hitting Coach. A graduate from the University of Alabama, Ambler was the Shorebirds 2021 Minor League Technology Coordinator helping lead the Shorebirds to one of the best offensive seasons in franchise history.

Daniel Fajardo will return to Delmarva in 2022, albeit this time as the Shorebirds Fundamentals Coach. After playing eight seasons in the Orioles minor league system and parts of two with the Shorebirds, Fajardo will make his professional coaching debut in 2022 bringing a wealth of knowledge from his time as a catcher. A 2019 Shorebirds Mid-Season All-Star, Fajardo was a Shorebirds fan-favorite hitting for a career .251 average with 124 RBI and 106 Runs Scored.

Collin Murray takes over as the Shorebirds Development Coach in his first season as a coach in Delmarva and in the Orioles’ organization. Prior to joining the Orioles, Murray worked with three other MLB clubs (Tigers, Marlins, and Angels), most recently as a Baseball Information Assistant with the Detroit Tigers in 2021.

Julio Ibarra enters his first season as the Athletic Trainer for the Shorebirds. Previously, Ibarra served as the Orioles Athletic Trainer for the last couple of seasons in the Dominican Summer League.

Liz Pardo begins her second season as the Shorebirds Strength & Conditioning Coach and third season overall in the Orioles organization. As a member of the 2020 IronBirds coaching staff, Pardo became the first female coach in the Orioles minor league coaching ranks.

“We are excited to welcome in this new coaching staff to Delmarva for the 2022 season along with some familiar faces on the staff for fans this season,” explained Shorebirds General Manager Chris Bitters. “Consistently, the Orioles provide us with terrific leadership on the field allowing fans to see the growth and development of the Orioles stars of tomorrow in Delmarva today as they continue on their journey to Baltimore.”

The Delmarva Shorebirds play in the Low-A East League North Division and are joined by the Fredericksburg Nationals (Nationals), Lynchburg Hillcats (Indians), and Salem Red Sox (Red Sox) who all previously played in the Advanced-A Carolina League.

Opening Day for the Shorebirds is Friday, April 8 against the Fredericksburg Nationals. For more information on the Shorebirds schedule, individual tickets, and the 2022 promotional schedule, please stay tuned to theshorebirds.com and Shorebirds social media for everything surrounding the Shorebirds.

ABOUT THE DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS

The Delmarva Shorebirds were founded in 1996 and have been the Class-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles since 1997. The Shorebirds have won two South Atlantic League championships in 1997 and 2000 and were named the MiLB.com Minor League Team of the Year in 2019 after going 90-48 in the regular season. Based in Salisbury, Maryland, the Shorebirds are proud to represent the entire Delmarva Peninsula and have hosted two SAL All-Star Games in 1999 and 2011. The Shorebirds are owned by 7th Inning Stretch, LP, based in Stockton, California headed by Chairman Tom Volpe and President Pat Filippone.