Yankees Announce 2025 Coaching Staff For Double-A Somerset Patriots
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have announced the 2025 coaching staff for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, led by manager Raul Dominguez. Dominguez enters his third consecutive season as manager for the Patriots, 11th overall as a manager and 19th coaching in the Yankees organization. In his first
Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have announced the 2025 coaching staff for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, led by manager Raul Dominguez.
Dominguez enters his third consecutive season as manager for the Patriots, 11th overall as a manager and 19th coaching in the Yankees organization. In his first season at the helm for the Patriots in 2023, he led the team to a Double-A best record of 84-53 and a +211 run differential, which ranked first among all MiLB teams. Under his leadership, the Patriots finished with the Eastern League’s top record in both halves of the season and clinched their second straight playoff berth.
In 2024, Dominguez led the Patriots to their third consecutive playoff berth and their second appearance in the Eastern League Championship Series with an overall record of 75-62. Dominguez’s Patriots erased a 6.0-game deficit in the final 30 games of the regular season by going 22-8 to end the campaign and clinching the Eastern League Northeast division’s second half title with a second half record of 43-25.
In 2023, Dominguez became the third manager in Somerset Patriots Double-A franchise history and he remains the only coach to serve as manager of the Patriots for more than one season.
Before joining Somerset, Dominguez spent the prior two seasons (2021-2022) as a defensive coach for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He previously served as defensive coach for Trenton (2018-2019) and Tampa (2017). The Panama City, Panama native gained prior 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.
An outfielder during his playing career, Dominguez signed with the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 2001 and spread four minor league seasons for New York between the DSL and the GCL. He began his coaching career in 2008 with the DSL Yankees 2, after spending 2007 as a Yankees’ tryout scout in the Dominican Republic.
Pitching coach Peter Larson enters his first season with the Yankees and in Somerset. He previously spent six seasons with the Minnesota Twins organization, including the last two with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints (2023-2024).
For Minnesota, Larson previously served as pitching coach for Double-A Wichita (2022), Low-A Fort Myers (2019), as well as minor league rehab pitching coach (2019). He has experience as a pitching coach at the collegiate level, most recently with Fordham University (2018).
Welcome back to our incoming hitting coach Mike Fransoso, who will be beginning his first season as a coach in the Yankees' organization.
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) January 24, 2025
He returns to Somerset after having played for the Patriots during 2018-19 when the team was independent! pic.twitter.com/AaIc2IoiCs
Hitting coach Mike Fransoso enters his first season with the Yankees and as a Double-A coach for Somerset. Fransoso played for the Patriots in 2018 and 2019 when the team was independent. Prior to playing for the Patriots, he played three seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
Fransoso has coached in the Seattle Mariners organization for five seasons, most recently with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers as the team’s hitting coach and interim manager in 2024. He also served as hitting coach with High-A Everett (2023), Class-A Modesto (2022) and the ACL Mariners (2021).
Derek Woodley and Uziel Viloria will serve as defensive coaches. Woodley enters his third season with the Yankees and first in Somerset. He previously served as the defensive coach for High-A Hudson Valley (2023-2024). He was also an “extra coach” for the 2024 Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.
Prior to his time with the Yankees organization, Woodley spent 15 years as the head coach at Defiance College with over 300 wins.
Viloria enters his first season with the Yankees and Somerset. He played infield for the Philadelphia Phillies organization (1999-2023), reaching High-A Jersey Shore in 2022 and 2023. In his four minor league seasons, Viloria had a .963 fielding percentage.
Jordan Gosztola enters his sixth season with the Yankees and first with Somerset as the athletic trainer. He previously served in the same role with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons (2023-2024) and GCL Yankees (2018-2020). Ruby Olea will serve as assistant athletic trainer in her first season with the Yankees and Somerset.
Isiah McDonald returns for his second season in Somerset and fourth in the Yankees organization as strength & conditioning coach. He served in the same role for Hudson Valley (2023) and the FCL Yankees (2022).
Also returning to Somerset’s staff is clubhouse manager Corey Saccone (third season), video & tech assistant Carlos Cespedes (second season) and advance scouting analyst Matt Wells (second 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 were named Baseball America’s 2024 Freitas Award winner for Double-A Organization of the Year. Home games are played 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*.*
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