Texas Rangers announce 2021 player development staff

Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced the organization’s player development staff for the 2021 season.

The club’s minor league affiliates will be managed by Kenny Holmberg (Triple-A Round Rock), Jared Goedert (Double-A Frisco), Josh Johnson (High-A Hickory), Carlos Cardoza (Low-A Down East), Jay Sullenger (Rookie AZL Rangers), and Carlos Maldonado (Rookie DSL Rangers).

The staff of roving instructors will consist of Matt Hagen (Field Coordinator), Cody Atkinson (Hitting Coordinator), Danny Clark (Pitching Coordinator), Jono Armold (Pitching Coordinator), Turtle Thomas (Roving Catching Coach), and Roy Silver (Roving Coach). In addition to his managerial post at Round Rock, Holmberg will maintain responsibilities as Infield Coordinator. Former Ranger Bobby Wilson, who will serve as the Major League Catching Coach in 2021, will also assume the role of Minor League Catching Coordinator.

Triple-A Round Rock Express

Kenny Holmberg returns to a managerial role with Round Rock, the fourth different club for which he has managed in the Texas system. He most recently skippered Short-A Spokane in 2018, leading the club to the Northwest League championship series. Holmberg will assume a dual role, as he also maintains Infield Coordinator responsibilities. Former Major League pitcher Bill Simas (pronounced SEE-mas) joins the organization as Round Rock's pitching coach. He has served as a pitching coach at multiple levels of the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system, most recently with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Chase Lambin will be the team’s hitting coach after he was due to hold the same role at the Triple-A level in 2020. Round Rock’s support staff will consist of Carlos Olivas (athletic trainer) and Wade Lamont (strength and conditioning coach).

Double-A Frisco RoughRiders

Jared Goedert will lead the Frisco RoughRiders, his first managerial assignment at the professional level. He has been a hitting coach at multiple levels of the farm system since joining the Texas organization in 2016 and was originally slated to work at the High-A level in 2020. Jeff Andrews, who is entering his 18th year in the organization, returns to a pitching coach role at Frisco that he also held from 2009-15 prior to four seasons as a special assignment pitching coach. Hitting coach Josue Perez was set to join Frisco for the 2020 season after serving as the organization’s hitting coordinator from 2015-19. Héctor Ortiz, who spent the last six seasons on the Major League coaching staff, will serve as Frisco's fourth coach. Rounding outing the staff are Alex Rodriguez (athletic trainer) and Adam Noel (strength and conditioning coach).

High-A Hickory Crawdads

The Crawdads will be led by Josh Johnson, who was set to manage at the High-A level last season. Johnson served as one of the Rangers’ managers in the 2020 Fall Developmental League, with the club’s two entries combining to post a 29-10-5 record. Pitching coach Stephen Mintz enters his ninth season in the Texas organization and eighth year as an instructor at the High-A level. Chad Comer, who coached for Texas affiliates from 2015-19, returns to the organization as Hickory’s hitting coach after spending the 2020 season as the hitting coach at his alma mater, the University of Texas at Arlington. Former Major Leaguer Hiram Bocachica joins the organization as Hickory’s fourth coach. He comes to the Rangers from the Oakland Athletics farm system, where he managed at the Rookie level in 2019 and was due to coach at the Triple-A level in 2020. Yuichi Takizawa will serve as Hickory’s athletic trainer and Jon Nazarko assumes the role of strength and conditioning coach for 2021.

Low-A Down East Wood Ducks

Carlos Cardoza will manage Down East in 2021 after he was slated to serve in that role at Low-A last year. In the absence of a 2020 minor league season, he coordinated camp and managed a group of Rangers prospects in the Fall Developmental League. Cardoza will be joined on staff by pitching coach Jordan Tiegs, who joined the organization midway through 2019 and was set to coach at Low-A in 2020. Hitting coach Eric Dorton is entering his third year in the organization, as he previously coached for the AZL Rangers in 2019. Former Texas farmhand Kevin Torres will be the club’s fourth coach. He was set to make his professional coaching debut at the High-A level last season. Derrick Decker will be the Woodies’ athletic trainer and Andy Earp will serve as strength and conditioning coach.

Rookie Arizona League Rangers

Jay Sullenger will guide the Rookie Rangers, his first managerial post at the professional level. He joined the organization in 2020 and coached in the Fall Developmental League after he had been slated to coach at the Low-A level. Jose Jaimes and Jesus Delgado will serve as pitching coaches. Jaimes is entering his 13th full year in the organization and Delgado will be in his first official season with a stateside affiliate following four campaigns with the Dominican Rangers. Sharnol Adriana returns for his sixth season as a hitting coach in the Texas organization. He will work alongside hitting coach Ryan Tuntland, who comes to the Rangers from the baseball coaching staff at Ohio University. Former Ranger Guilder Rodriguez, who has been with the Rookie Rangers since 2017, is back for his fifth season as a coach. The club’s athletic training staff consists of Rachel Purcell and Alex Silcott, who are both new to the organization. Purcell comes to the Rangers from Urban Golf Performance and has extensive experience at the collegiate level, while Silcott joins the club following two seasons with the Los Angeles Angels' Rookie-level affiliate in Orem, Utah. Ed Yong joins the AZL Rangers staff as strength and conditioning coach after 12 seasons spent with the club’s former affiliate, Short-A Spokane.

Rookie Dominican Summer League Rangers

Carlos Maldonado returns as skipper of the Dominican Rangers in 2021. He led the young group of international prospects to a 55-15 record and postseason appearance in his first year at the helm in 2019. Joining Maldonado as returnees to the Dominican coaching staff will be Pablo Blanco (pitching coach), Ricardo Valencia (pitching coach), Julio Valdez (pitching coach), Elevys Gonzalez (hitting coach), Alexis Infante (coach), Jesus Ovalles (coach), and Luis Encarnacion (coach). Nick Janssen will serve as a coach and assist with player development operations. Tyler Coolbaugh, the son of former Ranger player and coach Scott Coolbaugh, will serve as a hitting coach after most recently instructing with the Amarillo Sod Poodles of the Texas Collegiate League in 2020. The club's support staff consists of athletic trainers Wilquin Ortega and Neal Ori, and strength coaches Danny Mendoza and Kevin Varitek.

Coordinators

Matt Hagen (Field Coordinator) returns for his second year in his current role after spending the 2020 season at the club's Alternate Training Site and Fall Developmental League. Cody Atkinson (Hitting Coordinator) will be entering his second season in the Texas farm system, as he spent 2020 on the Alternate Training Site staff. Danny Clark and Jono Armold will work jointly as pitching coordinators for a second straight season, as the pair is back for their 16th and sixth years in the organization, respectively. Bobby Wilson (Catching Coordinator) will handle catching instruction for the Major League club, and he will also coordinate the minor league catching program while based in Arlington. Turtle Thomas returns for his sixth season with the Rangers and second as roving catching coach. Roy Silver (Roving Coach) will be entering his seventh season on the Rangers' player development staff.

Napoleon Pichardo is entering his 17th season with the Rangers and second as Director of Performance. Additional coordinators include Keith Comstock (Rehab Pitching), Logan Frandsen (Strength & Conditioning), Sean Fields (Arizona Medical), Chris Olson (International/Full Season Medical), and Jesse Behr (Minor League Video). Chandler Geller will be taking on an expanded role as Coordinator, Sport Performance Sciences.

The Rangers have also announced multiple promotions and new hires in player development:

- Stosh Hoover promoted to Director, Arizona Operations

- Conner Gunn and Sam Niedorf promoted to Assistant Director, Player Development

- Ed Chavez and Jason Griffin hired as mental skills coaches