Yankees Announce 2023 Coaching Staff For Double-A Somerset
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have announced the 2023 coaching staff for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, led by manager Raul Dominguez.
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have announced the 2023 coaching staff for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, led by manager Raul Dominguez.
The @Yankees have announced our coaching staff for the 2023 season, led by manager Raul Dominguez.https://t.co/S4uGhQBddw
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) February 3, 2023
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to spend my 17th season with the Yankees organization in the minor leagues,” said Dominguez. “I’m also excited to be the manager of the Somerset Patriots. I have heard many great things about Somerset, the ballpark facilities, the community and their fans. I look forward to the 2023 season and helping to develop our players for the Yankees and Major League Baseball.”
Dominguez begins his first season as manager for Somerset and 17th overall in the Yankees organization. He spent the past two seasons (2021-2022) as a defensive coach for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was assigned to the same post for 2020 before the minor league season was canceled due to COVID-19. Dominguez becomes the fifth manager in Somerset Patriots franchise history and the third since becoming the Yankees Double-A affiliate. He succeeds 2022 Eastern League Manager of the Year Dan Fiorito.
Dominguez previously served as the defensive coach for Trenton (2018-2019) and Tampa (2017). The Panama City, Panama native has managerial experience with the GCL Yankees East (2016), DSL Yankees 1 (2011-15) and DSL Yankees 2 (2009-10). From 2012-2015, his teams finished at least 10 games over .500, including reaching the DSL semifinals in 2012 and 2015. His managerial career record is 308-240 (.562 winning percentage).
An outfielder during his playing days, Dominguez signed with the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 2001 and played four minor league seasons for New York. He then began his coaching career in 2008 with the DSL Yankees 2, after spending 2007 as the Yankees’ tryout scout in the Dominican Republic.
Pitching coach Grayson Crawford begins his first season with Somerset after making his professional coaching debut in Single-A Tampa in 2022. Under his guidance, Tampa’s Yordin Calderon hurled a seven-inning no-hitter for the Tarpons in his Single-A debut on May 25, 2022.
Prior to joining the Yankees organization, Crawford coached at the high school and collegiate levels from 2010 on, most recently serving as pitching coach for two seasons at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2021, his pitching staff recorded an 8.45 K/9.0 IP ratio, which was good for third-best in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Hitting coach Jake Hirst returns for his second season in Somerset and fifth with the Yankees organization. Under his guidance in 2022, the Patriots slugged a franchise record 205 home runs, which was tops in Double-A and third in MiLB. The team also led the Eastern League in total bases (1,984), SLG (.445), and OPS (.779), while finishing second in RBIs (655) and OBP (.342).
Prior to coming to Somerset, the Davenport, Iowa native was the hitting coach for Hudson Valley in 2021. He served in the same role with the GCL Yankees West (2019-2020). Prior to joining the Yankees organization, Hirst was an assistant coach at Augustana College in Illinois for two seasons (2017-2018).
Defensive coach Aaron Bossi is back for his second season in Somerset. Under Bossi’s leadership in 2022, Patriots infielder Jesus Bastidas was awarded a Minor League Gold Glove for his fielding work at second base. Additionally, with Bossi leading Somerset’s base-running program in 2022, the Patriots paced all Eastern League teams with 205 stolen bases.
Bossi made his coaching debut as Hudson Valley’s defensive coach in 2021. Prior to his coaching experience with the Yankees, he spent 2017-2019 assisting rehabbing players at the organization’s minor league complex in Tampa. The St. Louis, Missouri native was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Yankees on June 24, 2016 as a catcher/infielder. He played in 22 games for the GCL Yankees East in 2016.
Athletic trainer Michael Becker begins his 12th season in the Yankees organization and second with the Patriots. He previously served in the same role for Hudson Valley (2021), Tampa (2014-2020), Charleston (2013) and Staten Island (2017).
Danny Smith enters his first season as Somerset’s strength and conditioning coach, after serving in the same role for Hudson Valley (2021-2022), Staten Island (2018-2020) and Pulaski (2017).
Rounding out Somerset’s staff is clubhouse manager Corey Saccone (first season), video and travel assistant Chris Nyden (second season), and advance scouting analyst Steven DiMaria (first season).
About the Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots are the reigning Eastern League Champions and play their home games at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball. To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com.