The Boston Red Sox today announced the 2018 field staffs of their minor league affiliates.
Red Sox Vice President of Player Development Ben Crockett made the announcements.
Pawtucket (Triple-A, International League)
Kevin Boles will return for his fifth year as PawSox manager in 2018, his 11th year in the organization. Bruce Crabbe will remain on his staff as an additional coach for the fifth consecutive season, extending his tenure with the organization to 14 years. Joining the PawSox in the role of pitching coach is Kevin Walker, who held the same position with Double-A Portland for the last three seasons and has coached Red Sox affiliates for the last decade. Rich Gedman will continue as the club's hitting coach for his fourth year in that role and eighth with Red Sox minor league clubs. Eric Velazquez, who joined Pawtucket as athletic trainer last season, will return for 2018. Kirby Retzer will serve as strength and conditioning coach in his third year with the team.
Portland (Double-A, Eastern League)
After managing Single-A Greenville to the franchise's first South Atlantic League Championship in 2017, Darren Fenster will be at the helm for the Sea Dogs in 2018. Entering his seventh season in Boston's system, Fenster had managed Greenville for the past four seasons. Also new to the Sea Dogs' staff is Pitching Coach Paul Abbott, who joined the Red Sox organization in 2011 and spent the last two seasons as High-A Salem's pitching coach. Lee May Jr. returns for a second season as hitting coach, having joined the organization in 2016. Entering his third season in the Red Sox' system, Scott Gallon will continue as the Sea Dogs' athletic trainer after moving into that role in 2017. Chris Messina, who joined Portland in 2016, will serve as strength and conditioning coach.
Salem (High-A, Carolina League)
Manager Joe Oliver will return to Salem for his third season at the helm, his fifth coaching Red Sox affiliates. He will be joined by Lance Carter, who takes over as pitching coach after spending the last three seasons in that role with Short-A Lowell. Nelson Paulino, who begins his 21st season coaching in the organization, will continue as hitting coach after starting in that position in 2016. Trainer Nick Kuchwara, who also joined the staff in 2016, will return in the same capacity in 2018.
Greenville (Single-A, South Atlantic League)
Former Red Sox minor leaguer Iggy Suarez will manage the Drive in 2017. The former infielder began his coaching career as Lowell's hitting coach in 2015 before managing Short-A Lowell for the past two seasons. A 19-year veteran of the organization and South Carolina resident, Bob Kipper will return to Greenville as pitching coach. Most recently with the PawSox for three seasons, Kipper previously held his current role from 2005-06 and 2008-09. Returning in the same role is Hitting Coach Wilton Veras, who spent eight seasons (1995-2002) playing in the Red Sox organization before returning as a coach in 2012. Phil Millan, who joined the Drive in 2017 after assisting with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2016, will remain Greenville's athletic trainer.
Lowell (Short-A, New York-Penn League)
Corey Wimberly will become Lowell's new manager after joining the Greenville coaching staff last spring. Wimberly played professionally from 2005-16, reaching the Triple-A level from 2010-13. Assuming the role of pitching coach is Nick Green, who played seven minor league seasons with Angels (2004-08) and Brewers (2009-10) affiliates before joining the Red Sox organization in 2015. Nate Spears will return as hitting coach for a second year after spending 2016 as a coaching assistant with Greenville. Spears played 12 seasons of professional baseball as an infielder from 2003-2014, including 2010-12 in the Red Sox organization. Joel Harris will continue in his role as athletic trainer for the third year.
Gulf Coast League Red Sox (Rookie, Gulf Coast League)
Tom Kotchman enters his fifth season as manager of the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, having spent 38 total seasons as a minor league manager and scout. New to the GCL staff last season, 2003 American League Rookie of the Year Angel Berroa will continue to serve as an additional coach in the coming year. Pitching Coach Dick Such will return for his sixth season in that role and 10th in the organization. Junior Zamora will be back as hitting coach, entering his fourth year in that capacity after seven years as a bench coach for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Red Sox. Mickey Jiang, who has been coaching in the Red Sox' system since 2009, will join the GCL club as a coach and interpreter. Entering his third season with the team, Ben Chadwick will continue in his role as strength and conditioning coach.
Dominican Summer League Red Sox (Rookie, Dominican Summer League)
Jose Zapata will return for his 12th season as the Red Sox' Latin American field coordinator. New to the staff is major league veteran Fernando Tatis, who will manage one of Boston's two DSL clubs. The Dominican-born Tatis played 11 major league seasons for five different teams (1997-2003, '06, '08-10). Managing the other DSL Red Sox squad will be Aly Gonzalez, who has been with the organization for the last nine seasons as a player (2009-11) and coach (2012-17), including the last three seasons in the same role.
Carlos Adolfo, entering his third season in the organization, and Ozzie Chavez, beginning his fourth, will serve as DSL hitting coaches. A six-year veteran of the program, Oscar Lira will continue as pitching coach for one of the two clubs. Also returning to the coaching staff are Claudio Sanchez, Carlos Sequera, and Leonel Vasquez, who will be joined by newcomer Steven Pollakov. A Chicago native, Pollakov played professionally in the White Sox' system in 2016 and in the independent Frontier League in 2017. Guillermo Hinojosa will return for his ninth season as athletic trainer, while Mario Anguizola and Antonio Diaz will resume their roles as strength and conditioning coaches.
Additionally, the Red Sox have hired Joe Hudson and Richard De Luna to minor league strength and conditioning coaching positions.