Minnesota Twins Announce 2021 Double-A Coaching Staff 

(Wichita, Kansas) – The Minnesota Twins announced their 2021 Minor League coaching staffs today, including the staff for their Double-A affiliate. The Wichita Wind Surge have been invited to be the Twins’ Double-A affiliate and if MLB’s reorganization of the Minor Leagues is completed next month, as expected, the team will serve as the Twin’s Double-A affiliate for the next ten years.

Ramon Borrego will have the honor of being the first manger in Wind Surge history. He will be joined on the staff by hitting coach Ryan Smith, pitching coaches Virgil Vasquez and Luis Ramirez, catching coach Joe Mangiameli, athletic trainer Chris McNeely and strength and conditioning coach Travis Koon.

Borrego, who has led his past three teams to the postseason, including a 2018 Florida State League Championship (Single-A, Ft. Myers,) will be entering his 12th season as a manager in the Twins organization. This year will be Ramon’s second at the Double-A level having led the Southern League Pensacola Blue Wahoos to a 76-63 record and the playoff semifinals in 2019. Originally signed by Minnesota on October 9, 1995 as an undrafted free agent, Borrego played in the Twins organization from 1996-2002. Ramon was a coach at the Twins Venezuelan Baseball Academy from 2004-2008, prior to starting his managerial career at the Twins’ Dominican Republic Baseball Academy in 2009.

“We are excited to welcome Ramon and his staff to Wichita,” said Jared Forma, Wind Surge SVP & General Manager. “Ramon’s track record speaks for itself. He has shown an uncanny ability to develop great young players while also winning games at the Minor League level.”

Ryan Smith will begin his second season in the Twins organization after serving as hitting coach for the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2019. Smith previously spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the College of Central Florida, developing one of the most potent offenses in school history. His 2019 Kernels team finished second in the Midwest League with 109 home runs.

Virgil Vasquez enters his sixth season with the Twins organization after having spent the 2019 season as the pitching coach in Single-A, Cedar Rapids. Vasquez was a pitching coach for the GCL Twins (2015-2018) and Double-A Chattanooga (2018) prior to spending 2019 in Cedar Rapids.

Luis Ramirez enters his 15th season in the Twins organization and 2021 will mark his first time at Double-A. Ramirez led the pitching staff for Single-A Fort Myers from 2011-2019. Prior to that he served in various roles with the Twins, including coaching their Rookie Gulf Coast League team and serving as the Twins rehab pitching coordinator.

Joe Mangiameli will begin his first year with the Twins organization which will also be his first-year coaching with a Major League organization. Prior to joining the Twins, Mangiameli spent four years coaching at the collegiate level.

Chris McNeely will enter his first season as an athletic trainer with the Minnesota Twins after having spent four seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

Travis Koon will begin his second season as a strength and conditioning coach for the Minnesota Twins at the Double-A level.

“This is another exciting day for the Wind Surge and another positive step towards playing baseball in 2021,” said Forma. “We look forward to the finalization of the PDL agreements and helping Ramon and his staff fulfill their Player Development role with the Twins.”