The Pittsburgh Pirates announced changes Wednesday to their minor league coaching staffs, with some shuffling among their affiliates and two former affiliates who became MLB developmental leagues.
The Triple-A Indianapolis Indians’ coaching staff will remain intact, with Brian Esposito as manager, Joel Hanrahan as pitching coach and Jon Nunnally as hitting coach, but adding Gustavo Omana as an assistant. Omana was a catching instructor for the Pirates and a former instructor for the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Double-A Altoona Curve has a new manager in Miguel Perez, who was promoted from Class A Bradenton to replace Dave Turgeon. David Newhan returns as hitting coach, but has new additions in pitching coach Drew Benes (Bradenton), who replaces Tom Filer, bench coach Gary Green (roving infield instructor) and athletic trainer Tyler Brooks (Bradenton).
The High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers have Kieran Mattison back as manager but Ruben Gotay (Gulf Coast League Pirates) replaces Johnny Tucker as hitting coach. Matt Ford was switched from minor league rehabilitation pitching coach to replace Stan Kyles as pitching coach. Blake Butler (Altoona) is now in charge of development and Victor Silva (West Virginia Black Bears) the athletic trainer.
The Low-A Bradenton Marauders have a new manager in Jonathan Johnston (West Virginia), hitting coach in Tucker (Greensboro), pitching coach in Fernando Nieve (Bristol), bench coach in Jim Horner (West Virginia), athletic trainer in Matt McNamee (Greensboro) and strength and conditioning coach in Nick Presley (GCL Pirates).
As part of minor league contraction, the West Virginia Black Bears became part of MLB’s Summer Draft League for draft-eligible players, while the Bristol Pirates joined the MLB Appalachian League, a wood-bat summer league for rising college freshmen and sophomores.
