January 31, 2020

Official Toronto Blue Jays Press Release

BLUE JAYS ANNOUNCE 2020 MINOR LEAGUE APPOINTMENTS

The Toronto Blue Jays have announced the following appointments to their High Performance and Player Development departments for 2020:

The Field Managers for the upcoming Minor League season will be Ken Huckaby (Buffalo-AAA), Cesar Martin (New Hampshire-AA), Donnie Murphy (Dunedin-High A), Luis Hurtado (Lansing-Low A), Brent Lavallee (Vancouver-Short-Season), Jose Mayorga (Bluefield-Rookie Advanced), Dennis Holmberg (Gulf Coast-Rookie), and Dane Fujinaka (Dominican Summer League).

The organization has made the following internal coordinator promotions: Matt Buschmann has been promoted to Director of Pitching Development while remaining as the Major League Bullpen Coach; Casey Candaele has been named Field Coordinator; Dallas McPherson has been named Skill Development Coordinator; John Tamargo Jr. has taken the role of Short-Season Field Coordinator; Cory Popham will serve as Pitching Programs Coordinator & GCL Pitching Coach; Matt Tracy has been named the Pitching Analysis Coordinator & GCL Assistant Pitching Coach; Harry Roberson has taken the role of New Hampshire Development Coach; David Aardsma has been named Rehab Pitching Coordinator; Michael Rivera will serve as an Assistant to Player Development; and Matthew von Roemer will serve as Technology Operations Coordinator.

New affiliate hires this season are: Phil Cundari as Pitching Coach for Lansing; Matt Hague as Swing Consultant & Hitting Coach for Dunedin; Ryan Wright as Hitting Coach for Lansing; David Howell as Development Coach for Buffalo; Taylor Hill as Development Coach for Dunedin; Reed Kienle as a Minor League Hitting Analyst; Zach Stewart as Minor League Assistant Coach & Batting Practice Pitcher; and Sonia De La Cruz as Education Coordinator.

Joining the High Performance department this year include: Brandon Stone as Sports Science Coordinator, who joins us from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee; Matt Hunter as Vancouver S&C Coach; Tommy LaBriola as Bluefield S&C Coach; Kara Terry as Lansing’s Dietitian; Leila Hughel-Deeds as Dunedin’s Dietitian; Michael Moh as an Assistant Dietitian based out of the Performance Development Complex and the Dominican Republic; John Lannan as Mental Performance Coach for Dunedin and Buffalo, with Matthew Galvez covering Short-Season teams as an Assistant Mental Performance Coach; and Drew MacDonald in a dual role as a Major League Assistant & Athletic Training Coordinator.

The High Performance department has also had the following promotions and role changes: Scott Peters has taken a new role as Medical Research Coordinator; Phil Dimino as Rehab Coordinator; Michael Rendon as Assistant Athletic Training Coordinator; Jeremy Chiang as Nutrition Coordinator; Stephanie Wilson as Special Assistant, Nutrition; and Reeve Bergesen as High Performance & Player Development Project Manager.

Below is a complete list of the Blue Jays 2020 Player Development and High Performance staff.