Blue Jays settle on minor league staff

Eric Wedge is the new field co-ordinator of the Toronto Blue Jays. Photo courtesy of John Lott, The Athletic. 

The TORONTO BLUE JAYS are pleased to announce the minor league field staffs for the 2017 season. Former Major League Manager ERIC WEDGE will lead the Player Development Team as Field Coordinator following his inaugural season with the club in an Advisor role, with MIKE MORDECAI being promoted to Assistant Field Coordinator from his previous position as Coordinator of Instruction.

Among other notable additions, JEFF WARE is promoted to Pitching Coordinator after three seasons as a Pitching Coach in the Blue Jays system and DEVON WHITE joins the coaching staff as Hitting Coach with AAA-affiliate Buffalo. White previously served as outfield and baserunning coordinator for Washington (2008-10) and baserunning coordinator for the Chicago White Sox (2011-12).
 
Key changes in Player Development will see KEN HUCKABY elevated to the role of Catching Coordinator after managing Dunedin in 2016, while DANNY SOLANO is promoted to Infield Coordinator following two seasons as Minor League Infield Coach. The recently created High Performance team has promoted JEREMY TRACH to oversee the Minor League Strength and Conditioning operations as S&C Coordinator, after serving as the Dunedin S&C Coach in 2016. BEN FREAKLEY JR. joins the club in the capacity of Mental Performance Coach, while PAT CHASSE does the same in the role of Rehab Coordinator.
 
            Among the field staff for 2017, LUIS HURTADO makes his managerial debut with the Gulf Coast team, while ANDY FERMIN (Position Coach, New Hampshire) and CHRIS SCHAEFFER (Position Coach, Lansing) enter the coaching ranks after the completion of playing careers in the Blue Jays system. RONNIE ORTEGON joins the organization as Hitting Coach with New Hampshire after four seasons coaching in the Braves minor league system (2013-16) and one as Major League Assistant Hitting Coach for the Cincinnati Reds (2012). MICHEL ABREU assumes the role of Position Coach in Dunedin after a lengthy playing career in Mexico, Cuba, Japan and the United States. JOHN TAMARGO JR. has been enlisted to manage the DSL squad, working with Dominican Field Coordinator Pablo Cruz in the development of key prospects in the Dominican, marking his 5th season as a minor league manager.
           
A complete list of the Blue Jays 2017 minor league staff is as follows:
 
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT STAFF

Field Coordinator                                                        Eric Wedge
Assistant Field Coordinator                                        Mike Mordecai                                               
Pitching Coordinator                                                   Jeff Ware
Senior Pitching Advisor                                              Rick Langford
Rehab Pitching Coach                                                Darold Knowles
Catching Coordinator                                                  Ken Huckaby
Outfield/Baserunning  Coordinator                             Tim Raines
Infield Coordinator                                                      Danny Solano
Latin American Player Advisor                                   Omar Malave
Senior Advisor to Player Development                       Mel Didier
Equipment Coordinator                                               Billy Wardlow
 
HIGH PERFORMANCE STAFF

Athletic Training Coordinator                                      Jose Ministral
Asst. Athletic Training Coordinator                             Jon Woodworth
Rehab Coordinator                                                     Pat Chasse
Head of Strength & Conditioning                                Donovan Santas
Strength & Conditioning Coordinator                          Jeremy Trach
Mental Performance Coach                                        Rafael Dubois
Mental Performance Coach                                        Ben Freakley Jr.
Sports Dietician                                                           Antonio Castillo
 
           BUFFALO                                              NEW HAMPSHIRE
Manager:         Bobby Meacham                                 Manager:         Gary Allenson
Pitching:          Bob Stanley                                         Pitching:          Vince Horsman
Hitting:             Devon White                                       Hitting:             Ronnie Ortegon
Position:          Aaron Mathews                                   Position:          Andy Fermin
Trainer:            Voon Chong                                        Trainer:            Robert Tarpey
S&C:                Jason Dowse                                      S&C:                Brian Pike
                                                           
                                                                       
                        DUNEDIN                                              LANSING
Manager:         John Schneider                                   Manager:         Cesar Martin
Pitching:          TBD                                                     Pitching:          Willie Collazo
Hitting:             Corey Hart                                          Hitting:             Donnie Murphy
Position:          Michel Abreu                                       Position:          Chris Schaeffer
Trainer:            Shawn McDermott                              Trainer:            Drew MacDonald
S&C:                Ryan Maedel                                       S&C:                Kyle Edlhuber                                                 
                                   
 
        VANCOUVER                                             BLUEFIELD   
Manager:         Rich Miller                                           Manager:         Dennis Holmberg
Pitching:          Jim Czajkowski                                   Pitching:          Antonio Caceres
Hitting:             Dave Pano                                          Hitting:             Carlos Villalobos
Trainer:            Daniel Leja                                          Trainer:            Caleb Daniel
S&C:                Pat Rosanio                                        S&C:                Aaron Spano
                                               
 
    GULF COAST                                                                                               
Manager:         Luis Hurtado                          
Pitching:          Juan Rincon                                       
Hitting:             Paul Elliott
Trainer:           Jon Woodworth
S&C:                Armando Adame Jr.                                                              
 
           
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE
Field Coordinator:                               Pablo Cruz
Manager:                                             John Tamargo Jr.
Pitching Coach:                                   Rafael Lazo
Hitting Coach:                                     Julio Germosen
Coach:                                                 Jose Mateo
Trainer:                                                Hiroki Yoshimoto
Assistant Trainer:                                Ysidro Reyes
S&C:                                                    Imbewer Alvarez
Assistant S&C:                                    Miguel Martinez