GreenJackets Announce 2020 Field Staff
NORTH AUGUSTA, SC - The Augusta GreenJackets, Single 'A' Affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, in conjunction with their parent club, the San Francisco Giants, have announced the 2020 Field Staff for SRP Park. Carlos Valderrama will return as manager to build upon the success of last season at SRP
NORTH AUGUSTA, SC - The Augusta GreenJackets, Single 'A' Affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, in conjunction with their parent club, the San Francisco Giants, have announced the 2020 Field Staff for SRP Park. Carlos Valderrama will return as manager to build upon the success of last season at SRP Park.
Returning to the staff to join Valderrama are Jake Fox, Hitting Coach, Willie Romero, Fundamentals Coach and Chad Lewis, Trainer. New to the staff in 2020 will be Alain Quijano, Pitching Coach, and Joe Palazzolo, Strength & Conditioning.
Valderrama, 41, returns for his third season as manager after leading the GreenJackets to their first playoff appearance since 2013, posting a 41-29 record to claim the South Atlantic League Southern Division second half title in 2019. Valdarrama also managed the GreenJackets during the last season at Lake Olmstead Stadium (2017). Before the 2017 season, Valderrama lead the 2016 Dominican Summer League Giants to a 40-30 record and finished third in the Dominican Summer League South Division. He has been a hitting coach with the Giants for 7 years and as a manager for 3 years. He helped lead the DSL team to a championship in 2015. He has 12 years of playing experience and saw playing time in 7 games in 2003 with the San Francisco Giants. Overall, Valderrama has 23 years of experience in pro ball and 22 of those years with the San Francisco Giants.
"I'm very excited to return back to North Augusta," stated GreenJackets Manager Carlos Valderrama. "I cannot wait to see the front office staff and all the fans, this is going to be another fun season. Go Jackets!"
Fox returns as the Hitting coach for the 2020 season to build upon the success of last season. Fox was a third-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in the 2003 MLB draft. Fox made his MLB debut with the Chicago Cubs in 2007. Fox spent time with the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and in the KBO League for the Hanwha Eagles.
Romero returns for his second season as the Fundamentals Coach in 2020. Romero spent 19 seasons as a player from 1993-2012 with stints in the Dodgers (1993-98), Diamondbacks (2001) and Orioles (2003) systems, in addition to 13 years in the Mexican League. Romero, who reached the Triple-A level, hit 172 home runs over the course of his minor league career. Prior to joining the Giants organization, Romero served as a manager and coach in the Mexican League.
Alain Quijano joins the staff as Pitching Coach for his first season with the GreenJackets. Quijano spent parts of the last five seasons as the pitching coach of the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Quijano was the pitching coach for former GreenJacket Matt Solter (2016). This will be his first year in the Giants organization.
"We are excited to welcome Valdy and the staff back to North Augusta in 2020," stated Augusta GreenJackets Vice President, Tom Denlinger. "We have some unfinished business from last season and look forward to playing Valdy ball at SRP Park in 2020. We thank the Giants for providing us with a first rate staff to the lead the GreenJackets and for there commitment to the CSRA."
About SRP Park/Augusta GreenJackets
SRP Park is the anchor piece of Riverside Village, a live, work, "playball" development which includes apartment living, retail, restaurants, class "A" office space, and a Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. To learn more about SRP Park and hosting events and availability, visit www.thesrppark.com.
2020 Augusta GreenJackets season seat memberships are on sale now. To learn more about the benefits and to get in on the 2020 action, visit www.gjmembers.com or call (803) 349-WINS (9467).
To stay up to date all season long, sign up for the 'Jackets Buzz e-newsletter by visiting: https://atmilb.com/2JAkNrM
Opening Day is Thursday, April 16th at SRP Park - mark your calendars to Catch the Buzz!
-GreenJackets -
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring