Red Sox Announce Personnel Moves in Player Development, Set Minor League Field Staffs
BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today announced personnel moves in the Player Development department, as well as 2024 field staffs for their minor league affiliates.
Justin Willard joins the organization as Director, Pitching following a stint as the Minnesota Twins Pitching Coach (2017-21) and Pitching Coordinator (2021-23). Shawn Haviland has been named Special Assistant, Player Development after working as the club’s Director of Pitching Development. Nick Murray has been hired as Minor League Rehab Pitching Coach. He previously served as the Director of Player Development for the Old Dominion University baseball team.
John Soteropulos has been promoted to Hitting Coordinator after spending the 2023 season as the Roving Complex Hitting Coach. Dillon Lawson joins the Red Sox as a Hitting Coordinator that will focus on the upper levels, after working with the New York Yankees as the Major League hitting coach from 2022-23.
Patrick McLaughlin has been promoted from Manager, Minor League Operations, to Assistant Director, Minor League Operations. David Besky has been promoted to Assistant Director, Player Development, after serving as Coordinator, Player Development.
Nick Shedd has been hired as Coordinator, Minor League Strength and Conditioning, and will be based out of Fort Myers, FL. Prior to joining the Red Sox, he worked as the head of Strength and Conditioning with the Houston Astros in West Palm Beach, FL. Michael Felicano joins the Red Sox as Assistant ATC Coordinator/Latin America ATC Coordinator, after previously working with the Seattle Mariners. Christina Koon joins the organization as the Minor League Sports Dietitian, after holding the title of Director of Olympic Sports Nutrition at Clemson University. After serving as the Red Sox’ Minor League Sports Dietitian, Gabriela Alfonso transitions to the role of Complex Dietitian. Jun “Eddie” Cheong has been hired as Minor League Translator supporting right-handed pitcher Chansol Lee.
Minor League Field Staffs:
Triple-A Worcester
*New to staff ^New to organization
Manager
Chad Tracy
Bench Coach
Jose Flores
Hitting Coach
Rich Gedman, Doug Clark*
Pitching Coach
Dan DeLucia*
Bullpen Coach
Noah Junis^
Development Coach
Brendan Connolly
Athletic Trainers
Scott Gallon, Nick Kuchwara
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Joe Hudson*
Doug Clark has been promoted to the Worcester staff as Hitting Coach, after spending 2022-23 in the same role with Double-A Portland. Dan DeLucia joins Worcester as Pitching Coach following his time in Fort Myers as the rehab pitching coach. Noah Junis has been hired as Bullpen Coach following a stint at Premier Pitching Performance from 2021-23. Joe Hudson has been promoted to be the club’s Strength & Conditioning Coach after previously working with Portland in the same role.
Double-A Portland
*New to staff ^New to organization
Manager
Chad Epperson
Pitching Coach
Sean Isaac
Hitting Coach
Chris Hess*
Coaches
Mickey Jiang, Kyle Sasala^
Development Coach
Justin Frometa
Athletic Trainer
Bobby Stachura
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Donny Gress*
Chris Hess has been promoted to Hitting Coach following a stint in the same role with High-A Greenville in 2023. Kyle Sasala joins Portland’s staff as a seasonal affiliate coach after previously working as the Associate Head Coach at Grove City College (2016-23). Donny Gress joins the staff as the Strength & Conditioning Coach after serving in the same position with Greenville in 2023.
High-A Greenville
*New to staff ^New to organization
Manager
Iggy Suarez
Pitching Coach
Bob Kipper
Hitting Coach
JP Fasone^
Coach
Tyler Snep^
Development/Assistant Pitching Coach
Alex Reynolds
Athletic Trainer
Charysse Berkowski
Strength & Conditioning Coach
TBD
JP Fasone joins Greenville’s staff as hitting coach, after previously working at Driveline in Seattle, WA. Tyler Snep joins Greenville as a seasonal affiliate coach, after serving as the director of player development with the University of Iowa’s baseball team in 2023.
Single-A Salem
*New to staff ^New to organization
Manager
Liam Carroll
Bench Coach
Ozzie Chavez
Pitching Coach
Juan Rivera*
Hitting Coach
Nelson Paulino
Coach
Kyle Schmidt^
Development/Assistant Pitching Coach
Matt Wheeler*
Athletic Trainer
Jacob Loughman
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Jose Benjamin*
Juan Rivera has been promoted to Pitching Coach after serving as a development coach for Salem in each of the last two seasons. Kyle Schmidt joins the staff as the seasonal affiliate coach after a minor league playing career with the Minnesota Twins organization from 2019-23. Matt Wheeler transitions to Development/Assistant Pitching Coach after serving as Worcester’s bullpen coach last season. Jose Benjamin begins his first season with Salem as the strength and conditioning coach, following his stints as a seasonal coach with Fort Myers and Worcester.
Fort Myers Complex
*New to staff ^New to organization
Managers
Jimmy Gonzalez, Tom Kotchman
Pitching Coaches
Michael McCormick^, Andres Rodriguez
Hitting Coaches
Jarrett Pico*, Junior Zamora
Coach
Pablo Cabrera*, Chase Illig
Athletic Trainer
Marissa Sciabarra
Roving Strength & Conditioning Coach
Ricky De Luna
Michael McCormick has been hired as a Fort Myers Complex Pitching Coach following a stint as the Head Baseball Coach at Ave Maria University. Hitting Coach Jarrett Pico joins the coaching staff after serving as an intern in Fort Myers in 2023. Pablo Cabrera has been promoted to Complex Defensive Coach based out of Fort Myers. He has previously worked as a Coach with Portland.
Dominican Republic Academy
*New to staff ^New to organization
Managers
Sandy Madera, Amaury Garcia
Pitching Coaches
Oscar Lira, Rafael Feliz
Hitting Coaches
Eider Torres, Edwin Rodriguez
Coaches
Juan Hernandez, Carlos Vallejo, Claudio Sanchez, Leonel Vazquez
Instructor
Pedro Ciriaco
Development Coach
Bryan Delgado^, Ricardo Jacobo
Athletic Trainers
Pedro Wilson^, Jharvyn Velasquez
Strength & Conditioning Coaches
Juan Castillo^, Antonio Diaz, Danny Gutierrez
Beginning with the Dominican Republic Academy is Bryan Delgado, who will serve as the Development Coach. Last season, he worked as the High-A Pitching Development Coach with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Also joining the staff are Athletic Trainer Pedro Wilson and Strength and Conditioning Coach Juan Castillo.