Mariners announce Low-A Modesto staff for 2022 season

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Seattle Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto, Director of Player Development Emanuel Sifuentes and Senior Director of High Performance Rob Scheidegger announced today the Low-A Modesto Nuts staff for the 2022 season.

Austin Knight enters his sixth season in the Mariners organization, his first as manager of Modesto. He managed the ACL Mariners in 2021 and was scheduled to manage the DSL Mariners in 2020 prior to the cancellation of the minor league season. He spent the 2019 as manager of the DSL Mariners. He opened the 2018 season as a volunteer coach at Dallas Baptist University and rejoined the Mariners as an assistant hitting coach with High-A Modesto. He spent the 2017 as the hitting coach for Short-A Everett.

“I’m looking forward to working with this talented and passionate group of coaches in Modesto,” Knight said. “We are committed to helping our players reach their potential as baseball players and as young men, while competing for a Low-A West championship. I can’t wait to get started.”

Michael Fransoso enters his third season with the Mariners organization, his first as hitting coach with Modesto. He spent the 2021 season as hitting coach for the ACL Mariners and was scheduled to be hitting coach for Short-A Everett prior to the 2020 cancelation of the minor league season.

Nathan Bannister is entering his fourth season as a coach in the Mariners organization, his second year as pitching coach for Modesto. He was scheduled to be the pitching coach for A West Virginia in 2020 prior to the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season. He spent 2019 as a coach with the DSL Mariners. He was originally selected by the Marines in the 28th round of the 2016 MLB Draft, and appeared in 54 games (50 starts) between 2017 & 2018 seasons in the Mariners minor league system.

Ryan Scott is entering his first season as an affiliate coach in the Mariners organization. He joined the Mariners organization in 2020, following his retirement as a player. He played in 7 minor league seasons in the Dodgers (2013-15), Angels (2016 & 2019) and Mariners (2017-18) organizations, appearing defensively at catcher in 234 of his 264 games.

Dan Laberry returns for his second consecutive season as Modesto’s athletic trainer. Jose Alcantara Beas joins the Modesto staff as strength and conditioning coach for his second season in the Mariners organization after serving as the DSL Mariners strength and conditioning coach in 2021.