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Nationals (Finally) Name 2018 Farm Managers, Coaches

Hinted at earlier this month, the Washington Nationals finally announced who the managers and coaches will be in 2018:

Affiliate Manager Pitching Coach Hitting Coach
Syracuse Randy Knorr Brad Holman Brian Daubach
Harrisburg Matthew LeCroy Michael Tejera Brian Rupp
Potomac Tripp Keister Sam Narron Luis Ordaz
Hagerstown Patrick Anderson Tim Redding Amaury Garcia
Auburn Jerad Head Franklin Bravo Mark Harris
GCL Mario Lisson Larry Pardo Jorge Mejia
DSL Sandy Martinez Pablo Frias Freddy Guzman

Bold = New to the organization
Italics = Different than 2017

As noted in Chelsea Janes’s WaPo story the changes center on pitching: Just one level (DSL) has the same coach as last year and there are new coaches at AAA and the GCL.

Chris Michalak (Marlins), Bob Milacki (unknown), and Josh Johnson (Padres) are out while Billy Gardner, manager at AAA from 2014 to 2017, remains as a “roving coordinator.” He joins usual suspects (e.g. Spin Williams, Tommy Shields, Jeff Garber, Troy Gingrich, Paul Menhart, et al).

Why this took so long to release remains a mystery. Typically, this news comes around the winter meetings, but three times in the past four seasons it’s been in January; this is the latest since this site was begun in 2009. That I’m complaining about this shows you just how slow this offseason has been.

The 2018 Watchlist is on track to be finished by the end of the month. I’ve punted on a few players, but I’ve written up six of the ten categories, including all the position players and the RHPs. Until something else breaks… as you were.

9 Commments

  1. My eyes popped wide seeing Michael Tejeda jumping to Harrisburg.
    Mario Lisbon must have impressed brass to go from AA player to GCL skipper replacing Josh
    Dramatic question : Chris Mickalak
    Paid the price for not fine tuning certain guys and maybe distorting
    Lucas G- force ? Interesting new hitting coach in Freddie Guzman .
    We still have not heard Luke the
    Duties for Pete Vuckovich not to mention Billy Gardner who could wear many hats on the farm.

  2. The Padres hired Josh Johnson as infield coach for the MLB squad, a huge step up for him from managing in the GCL. He must have really impressed someone along the way.

    Yes, Michalak was the one who supposedly messed with Giolito’s mechanics. Milacki had a number of guys who initially did well at AAA but then took significant steps backwards, including Voth, Cole, Taylor Hill, and Taylor Jordan. It was probably time for a change.

    1. Cole might have benefited from his time around Maddox more than Milacki.
      Still hold out hope for Voth to resurrect more than guys like Williams and McGowin
      Should be interesting to see which guys Daubach gets through to. Maybe he can instill a different lift to his swing to add a few more HRs or doubles . Will Ward reach Cuse in 18
      To open 3b @ Burg for Kelvin G to tutor under Rupp who might enhance Rule 5 draftee Josh Wilson .

        1. Tejera rising star in org. to Harrisburg makes sense with many Latin arms heading to City isle in the next campaign. Jefry Rod, Silvestre, PAtajoa, Baez , Rivera , Mariano 3, ….should be a fun campaign for Tejera.

    2. I did not see Mickalak name in Marlins affiliate listing but Jupiter A ball doesn’t have a pitching coach listed but I did see Dominick Ambrosini as a lower farm coach. His name goes way back to expos Clinton Lumberkings a year before Grady Sizemore donned a Clinton uniform .

      1. Michalac was going to be the Syracuse pitching coach, but the Marlins offered him the job of pitching coordinator for their organization.

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