Red Sox announce personnel moves in player development and Minor League field staffs

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today announced personnel moves in the Player Development department, as well as 2021 field staffs for their minor league affiliates.

Ben Crockett has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Baseball Operations. Currently in his 15th year in the Red Sox organization, the Topsfield, MA native has worked as Vice President, Player Development (2016-20); Director, Player Development (2012-16); Assistant Director, Player Development (2010-11); and Advance Scouting Coordinator (2008-09) after spending 2007 as an intern in Baseball Operations. The Harvard University graduate was selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2001 June Draft, but he did not sign. The former right-handed pitcher spent five years in the Colorado Rockies organization (2002-06) after being selected by the club in the third round of the 2002 June Draft.

Brian Abraham has been promoted to Director, Player Development. The Worcester, MA native previously worked as Director, Minor League Operations (2018-20); Assistant Director, Player Development (2015-18); and Major League Staff Assistant (2013-14). Prior to joining the Red Sox organization, the College of the Holy Cross graduate and member of the baseball team spent six years with the Toronto Blue Jays (2007-12), primarily working in advance scouting and video operations on the Major League staff.

Chris Stasio has been promoted to Manager, Baseball Development. In January 2020 he was hired as Assistant Coordinator, Baseball Development, returning to the organization where he worked in player development and advance scouting roles in 2014, 2016, and 2017. The Northeastern University graduate began his career in baseball as an intern with the New York Mets in 2014 and most recently served as a professional scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 and 2019.

Harry Roberson has been hired as Coordinator, Player Development and will be involved in various player development programs while engaging with on-field staff, focusing on practice planning and skill development. The Amherst College graduate most recently worked in baseball operations for the Toronto Blue Jays (2019-20) following a season as Hitting Coach for Eastern Connecticut State University (2019).

Shawn Haviland has been promoted to Senior Coordinator, Pitching, after spending the 2020 season as the organization’s Pitching Coordinator, Performance. The Middletown, CT native and graduate of Harvard University was originally hired by the club as Pitching Performance Coach prior to the 2019 season. A former right-handed pitcher, he played nine minor league seasons after being selected by Oakland in the 2008 June Draft, including two stints in the Red Sox organization with Triple-A Pawtucket in 2015 and 2017.

Julio Rangel has been hired as Pitching Coordinator, Performance. For the past two seasons, the Panama native served as the major league pitching coach for the Texas Rangers. Following a seven-year playing career in the New York Yankees minor league system (1994-2000), Rangel began his coaching career with the Tampa Yankees in 2001. He spent 11 years in the Cleveland system as a Cultural Development Coordinator (2007-08), Mental Skills Coordinator (2009-10), Lower Level Pitching Coordinator (2011-15), and Assistant Field Coordinator (2016-17). In 2018, Rangel served as the San Francisco Giants’ Minor League Pitching Coordinator.

Kirby Retzer has been promoted to Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. The Florida Gulf Coast University graduate is in his sixth season with the Red Sox organization, having spent the last two as a strength and conditioning coach with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox, also working with players on rehabilitation assignments.

Paddy Steinfort has been promoted to Senior Mental Skills Coordinator following two seasons as a mental skills coach with the organization. He has also spent time in similar roles with the United States Army (2019-present), Philadelphia 76ers (2018-20), Toronto Blue Jays (2016-18), and Philadelphia Eagles (2015-16).

Adan Severino has been promoted to Latin American Mental Skills Coordinator following three seasons as Mental Skills Coordinator (2018-20). Prior to his time with the Red Sox, he spent time as a behavioral health professional and correctional officer in the state of Florida. The University of Miami graduate played three seasons (2008-10) as an outfielder in the Minnesota Twins’ system and in the independent Frontier League.

Gabriela Alfonso joins the organization as Minor League Sports Dietician and will be based out of Fort Myers. In addition to other experiences in the industry, the Miami, FL native has spent time in athletics as a sports nutrition graduate assistant and nutritionist with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (2015-17).

Worcester (Triple-A, International League)

Billy McMillon enters his 14th season in the Red Sox organization, his third as Manager for the club’s Triple-A affiliate. The 2021 season will be his ninth as a minor league manager, having also served in that capacity for Single-A Greenville (2010-11), High-A Salem (2012-13), and Double-A Portland (2014-15). Bruce Crabbe will remain on the staff as an additional coach for the eighth consecutive season, extending his tenure with the organization to 17 years (2005-21). Rich Gedman will continue as the club’s hitting coach for his seventh year in that role and 11th with Red Sox minor league clubs. A Worcester native, Gedman was selected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2020.

Paul Abbott returns as Pitching Coach for the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate for the second consecutive season, his 11th in the organization. Abbott previously served as Pitching Coach for Short-A Lowell (2011-12), Single-A Greenville (2013-14), High-A Salem (2015-17), and Double-A Portland (2018-19). Michael Montville, hired prior to last season as an additional coach for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, joins Worcester in the same role. David Herrera enters his third season as Athletic Training Coordinator, his 14th with the organization (2008-21). Ben Chadwick joins Worcester as Strength and Conditioning Coach following two seasons in that role with Portland.

Portland (Double-A, Eastern League)

Corey Wimberly joins the Sea Dogs as Manager, having previously managed Short-A Lowell (2018) and High-A Salem (2019-20) as well as been a member of Greenville’s coaching staff (2017). In 2019, Wimberly led Salem to the Carolina League Northern Division title, as the club went a league-best 42-28 in the season’s second half. Lance Carter returns for his second season as Portland’s Pitching Coach. It will be his seventh season in the organization, having previously worked with Short-A Lowell (2015-17) and High-A Salem (2018-19). Lance Zawadzki also returns for his second season as Hitting Coach. He joined the organization with Lowell in 2018 before serving as Salem’s hitting coach in 2019.

Joining the Sea Dogs staff as an additional coach is Ako Thomas, who most recently spent time on the University of Michigan’s staff as Volunteer Assistant Coach (2020) following a four-year playing career with the Wolverines (2016-19). Entering his sixth season in the Red Sox’ system, Scott Gallon will continue as the Sea Dogs’ athletic trainer after moving into that role in 2017. Jeffrey Dolan joins Portland as Strength and Conditioning Coach, having most recently worked in a similar role with the Phoenix Suns (2019-20).

Greenville (High-A, Carolina League)

Iggy Suarez returns for a fourth season managing Greenville, marking his seventh season in the organization and his sixth as a minor league manager. Entering his 23nd year in the Red Sox organization, Bob Kipper will return as Greenville’s pitching coach, having also served in that role with the Drive from 2005-06, 2008-09, and 2018-20. Also returning to the Drive staff is Hitting Coach Nate Spears, who after serving as a coaching assistant with Greenville in 2016 spent four years as a hitting coach for Short-A Lowell (2017-20).

John Shelby III returns for his second season with the Drive coaching staff after joining the organization in 2020 following a stint as Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of Kentucky. Athletic Trainer Nick Kuchwara joins Greenville following time in the same role with High-A Salem (2016-20). Also joining the Greenville staff is Strength and Conditioning Coach Joe Hudson after two seasons in the same role for Salem (2019-20).

Salem (Single-A, South Atlantic League)

Luke Montz enters his first season managing Salem after serving in the same role for Short-A Lowell (2019-20) and serving as a coaching assistant for Double-A Portland (2018). In 2019, Montz led the Spinners to the Stedler Division title and a 42-34 record in the regular season. Veteran hitting coach Nelson Paulino will return to the staff in his 24th season coaching in the organization (1998-2021), having previously worked with Salem in 2013, from 2016-18, and in 2020. Nick Green, who joined the Red Sox organization in 2015 and most recently spent three seasons as Pitching Coach for Lowell (2018-20), joins the Salem staff to serve in that same role.

Frankie Rios, who played in the Red Sox system in 2017 and 2018, will join Salem’s staff as an additional coach after spending the 2020 season coaching in Portland. Bobby Stachura, who joined the organization as an intern in 2017, will serve as an athletic trainer following two seasons in that role with Single-A Greenville (2019-20). Michael Hernandez also joins Salem staff as Strength and Conditioning Coach after working with Greenville in 2020, his first season in the Red Sox organization.

Fort Myers Complex

Tom Kotchman will spend 2021 as a manager at the Fort Myers complex after spending seven seasons as manager of the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. Kotchman has spent 40 total seasons as a minor league manager and scout. Serving as a hitting coach in Fort Myers is Josh Prince, who joined the organization in 2020 as Hitting Coach for Single-A Greenville after spending the 2019 season as a player/coach for the Sugar Land Skeeters in the Atlantic League. Junior Zamora also will serve as a hitting coach, following six years in that capacity for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and seven years as a bench coach for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Red Sox.

The Fort Myers complex will feature three pitching coaches, including Dick Such, a veteran of the Gulf Coast League. Brett Merritt will also work at the complex after serving as a pitching coach for High-A Salem (2020) and the College of Central Florida (2018-19). Jason Blanton joins the organization, having previously worked as a pitching coach in the Cleveland Indians (2017-20) and Seattle Mariners (2014-15) systems.

Mickey Jiang, who has been coaching in the Red Sox’ system since 2009, returns as a coach and translator. Bianca Smith joins the organization as a coach at the Fort Myers complex after most recently serving as Assistant Athletic Director as well as Assistant Coach and Hitting Coordinator at Carroll University (WI). Smith, who has also spent time with the Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers organizations, becomes the first African-American woman to coach in professional baseball history. Also joining the organization as a coach in Fort Myers is Chris Hess, who has spent time as Assistant Coach at the University of Rhode Island, his alma mater, following three seasons playing in the New York Yankees organization (2017-19). Hess also played for Hyannis of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2016.

Taylor Boucher will serve as Athletic Trainer following two seasons in that role with Short-A Lowell (2019-20). Richard De Luna, who joined the organization in 2018 as a minor league strength and conditioning coach after serving in the United States Marine Corps (2012-17), will serve as Strength and Conditioning Coach, a role he held with Greenville from 2019-20.

Dominican Republic Academy

Jose Zapata will return for his 15th season as the Red Sox’ Latin American field coordinator. Ozzie Chavez and Sandy Madera return as managers at the Dominican Republic Academy, after they both made managerial debuts in 2019. Madera’s first year working in the Red Sox organization was 2019, while Chavez began his coaching career in 2015 as a hitting coach for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Red Sox. Serving as hitting coaches at the academy will be Eider Torres, who joined the DSL Red Sox last season, and Danny Ortega, who has coached in the Los Angeles Angels (2018-19) and Houston Astros (2010-17) organizations, including a stint managing the Greeneville Astros in 2017.

Oscar Lira and Humberto Sanchez will continue as the academy’s pitching coaches, with Lira entering his 10th season in the role and Sanchez beginning his fourth. Also returning to the staff are Juan Hernandez, Claudio Sanchez, Carlos Vallejo, and Leonel Vazquez as additional coaches. Joining the academy as International Instructor is Amaury Garcia, after spending 12 years with the Washington Nationals organization, including serving as Hitting Coach for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns (2016-20). Garcia played in the Florida Marlins (1994-2000) and Chicago White Sox (2001) organizations, appearing in 10 major league games for the Marlins in 1999. Guillermo Hinojosa will return for his 12th season as athletic trainer, while Jharvyn Velazquez will return for his second. Antonio Diaz and Danny Gutierrez will resume their roles as strength and conditioning coaches at the academy.