Nationals Name 2020 Farm Managers, Coaches
Last week, the Nationals announced its managers and coaches for 2020:
| Affiliate | Manager | Pitching Coach | Hitting Coach |
| Fresno | Randy Knorr | Michael Tejera | Brian Daubach |
| Harrisburg | Billy Gardner Jr. | Sam Narron | Brian Rupp |
| Fredericksburg | Tripp Keister | Justin Lord | Luis Ordaz |
| Hagerstown | Mario Lisson | Pat Rice | Jorge Mejia |
| Auburn | Patrick Anderson | Franklin Bravo | Mark Harris |
| GCL | Ralph “Rocket” Wheeler | Larry Pardo | ??? |
| DSL | Sandy Martinez | Edwin Hurtado | Freddy Guzman |
Bold = New to the organization
Italics = New assignment
Like the parent club, a lot of the movement is reshuffling the deck: Lisson moves up to Hagerstown, Anderson is shifted to Auburn, Wheeler is shifted to the GCL. Holman takes over the role that Paul Menhart had had (Minor League Pitching Coordinator) while Tejera and Narron both move up a level.
Matt LeCroy was named quality control coordinator, which appears to be the role that Gardner filled 2019. Gardner had previously managed at AAA for Syracuse from 2014 to 2017.
Justin Lord and Pat Rice are two new pitching coaches at High-A and Low-A respectively. Lord had spent the past seven seasons in the Orioles organization, most recently as Frederick Keys pitching coach. Rice moves on from the Angels after six seasons, having spent 2019 in AAA Salt Lake.
It’s not clear who the new hitting coach is in the GCL, nor can I say for certain if Bravo, Harris, and Freddy Guzman are returning to the roles they held in 2019. I only have press releases from the ‘burgs and Fresno and the MLB.com story to work from.
As always, feel free to discuss in the comments.
I wonder if the coach Edwin Hurtago is related to the Outfielder , Jorge Hurtago ??
Luke , ty for the daily space to post opinions ad nauseum through the year
A year end Christmas list for Santa Claus on the AAA/ AA 2020 rosters off the MiLB FA lists :
Dixon Machado B/R middle IF. Iowa 2019
Jeffrey Baez R/R. OF. Reno 2019
Samir Duenez L/R 1b. AA Reds 19
Bryant Flete IF. Chisox 2019
Nick Longhi R/R. OF
Jordan Smith OF
Noel Cueves OF R/R. SYR 19 Mets
Cody Eaves B/R IF. AA Rox 19
Johoan Urena B/R OF
Rosell Herrera OF AAA Marlins
There is an injury lawyer up here in Conn. whose slogan is GetCarter! Maybe the Nats could release a tee shirt 2020 with that !!
Forget that Mike Freeman idea for Fresno. He is sticking with Tribe
I’m more than a little nervous that the uptick is mostly due to the “ticking off the boxes” with most folks out all this week and next…
Well noted holiday cheer.
Cyber bottles of bourbon for many here … drink up..
Sam Haggerty F troop 2020?? Nats love adding
AAA Former Mets infielders
All the Christmas wrapping paper sits ina corner bundle , everybody digesting the lack of plate discipline.
Ponderings as hearts gaze into the hypnotic Christmas tree twinkling ….
Does Young Antuna open on the inaugural FREDNats roster April 2020?
Is Trey Vickers being groomed to be the next David Masters ??
Does Lara , Dunlop and Williams hop up to Senators lineup ??
Waiting for luggage on Christmas Day @ the baggage claim belt is like awaiting Nats closely guarded state secrets like free agent signings for the farm or international signings .
Luke. Harkening back to your holidays plate discipline creed , I think about how Jorge Meijia can instill a wiser eye in JT Artutta who slashed 10 doubles in 146 Auburn ABs with 25 walks and 50 Ks. Interesting infielder with reverses in the B.B./ K.
Nice tree Luke and dog napping bed pillow !
Orioles / Elías / Angelos clan the dripping sound is our hearts about you guys having to – ABOUT TIME – share MASN revenue. Too bad that did not come before Rendon went Free agency
Luke, I know old habits die hard, but, um, Potomac no longer has a team (as I’m sure you’re well aware).
Cut & paste error from last year’s post, is all.
Plate and post discipline. New Year’s Eve commitments ??
Tejera seems to have worked wonders at Harrisburg over the last couple of seasons. It will be hard to judge anyone by ERAs in Fresno, but perhaps he can provide a calming presence to a lot of the guys who succeeded with him at AA.
Interesting that they’re bringing in two new-to-the-organization pitching coaches at A and A+, where they figure to have a lot of talented young arms in 2020. Don’t screw ’em up, guys!
Mario Lisson is moving up fast for a guy who was on the AA-AAA shuttle just two years ago. If we’re wondering if several of the young Latino players will get a shot at a full-season roster, I’d say a fully bilingual manager is a good sign that they will.
Potomac is now the Fredericksburg Nationals. You should have known about this change in the location of the single A club. They are relocating to Fredericksburg, VA this year.
Noted.
The Tejera promotion is encouraging. A Cuban product with success and perhaps, the next in line for the roving minor league role. But what happened to Spin Williams?
Brad Holman has the resume for the job. A guy like Menhart is a tough act to follow. As far as I am concerned, the new baseball economics mandate that the Nationals spend whatever they can to get the best player development (minor league hitting, pitching, bilingual) coaches they can, and the best scouting (including Latin America and Asia and other untapped markets) available.
When you have 3 starting pitchers occupying almost 40% of anticipated payroll for a 26 man roster, the organization has to have a constant churn of talent coming in, and the capacity to coach them up. It’s pennies on the dollar. Free agency is a patch as needed but if an investment goes McLouth, the plan B has to be a phone call away (Yadiel).
The Nationals are too smart to have this limited a depth. They should leverage the WS win and the security they have in the manager and GM position to build a stronger bottom.
Bravo , Grissom !! Well stated !!!
Grissom , Funny that Holman left Texas just a year ahead of Martin leaving the vacancy in Ranger org.
Pat Rice has quite the vacancy too.
Ty the heavenly angels annointed the Nats WS run because some of us fans going through mid life issues needed the exhilaration !! Brought said. TMI
McLouth that blonde haired outfielder whose haired lightened up the Pirates colors ??
Clarence , need you ole buddy @ Martinos bar … George Bailey …