After a season when the Cincinnati Reds produced the National League Rookie of the Year and received contributions from several rookies, the club is hopeful it's building a sustainable pipeline of Major League talent.
The Reds had some turnover on their player development staff since the end of last season. Kyle Boddy, the director of pitching, and C.J. Gillman, the minor league hitting coordinator, were not brought back. Some staffers were plucked by other clubs, like rookie-level development coach Jason Camilli becoming the Phillies' assistant hitting coach.
Despite the changes, the Reds are confident in their pitching and hitting philosophies to develop prospects in their farm system. They announced their new hires and coaching staffs at minor league affiliates Tuesday.
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Jim Rickon and Dave Hansen are the new minor league hitting coordinators. Rickon spent the last 23 years with Cleveland, including time as the hitting coordinator from 2015-17. Hansen was San Francisco’s hitting coordinator from 2018-2020, overlapping his first year with Reds manager David Bell, who was the Giants’ farm director, and overlapping two years with Reds hitting coach Alan Zinter, who was the assistant director of player development.
Hansen, who had a 15-year Major League career primarily as a pinch-hitter for the Dodgers, was a Major League hitting coach for the Dodgers (2011-12), Mariners (2013) and Angels (2014-17), and a minor league hitting coordinator for the Diamondbacks (2008-10).
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The Reds previously announced Casey Weathers was promoted to co-pitching coordinator alongside Bryan Conger. Weathers, who played under pitching coach Derek Johnson at Vanderbilt, was the club’s rehab pitching coordinator in his first two years in the organization. Conger returns for his second season as pitching coordinator.
Simon Mathews is replacing Weathers as the rehab pitching coordinator. Mathews was a pitching development coach for the club’s Dominican Summer League affiliate last year in his first year with the organization.
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Kevin Mahar is the outfield/baserunning coordinator after he spent last season as the game planning coach at Triple-A Louisville. Mahar, who spent the 2020 season at the alternate site, is entering his ninth year with the club.
Danny Escobar was named the assistant strength/rehab coordinator.
Louisville Bats (AAA)
Manager: Pat Kelly.
Pitching coach: Seth Etherton.
Hitting coach: Alex Pelaez.
Bench coach: Dick Schofield.
Game planning/outfield coach: Mike Jacobs.
Trainer: Steve Gober.
Strength coach: Kenny Matanane.
Notes – Kelly, who has managed for 30-plus minor league seasons, earned his 1,800th career win last August, the fourth active minor-league manager to reach that milestone. Jacobs joins the organization after spending the last five years as a minor league manager in the Marlins’ farm system. Matanane replaces Justin Bucko, who joined the Orioles’ Major League staff.
Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
Manager: Jose Moreno.
Pitching coach: Rob Wooten.
Hitting coach: Eric Richardson.
Game planning/catching coach: Nate Irving.
Trainer: Ryan Ross.
Strength coach: Trey Strickland.
Notes – Moreno moves to Double-A after managing at Dayton last year. Former Chattanooga manager Ricky Gutierrez joined the Nationals as a special assistant in international operations/player development. Irving was the Reds’ bullpen catcher for the last three years and did advance scouting work.
Dayton Dragons (A+)
Manager: Bryan LaHair.
Pitching coach: Brian Garman.
Hitting coach: Daryle Ward.
Bench coach: Juan Samuel.
Trainer: Andrew Cleves.
Strength coach: Daniel Donohue.
Notes – Samuel, who was a three-time All-Star and an interim manager for the Orioles in 2010, was on the Phillies’ big-league coaching staff from 2011-17. LaHair, an All-Star in 2012, managed the rookie-level complex team last year. Cleves, a Cincinnati native, returns to Dayton after spending last year at Chattanooga.
Daytona Tortugas (A)
Manager: Gookie Dawkins.
Pitching coach: Todd Naskedov.
Hitting coach: Darryl Brinkley.
Bench coach: Lenny Harris.
Trainer: Wade Hebrink.
Strength coach: Kyle Laughlin.
Notes – Dawkins will manage at Daytona for the second straight season. Naskedov joins the organization after spending the last four years on the Astros’ player development staff. Harris, entering his sixth year with the Reds, ended his playing career as the all-time Major League leader in pinch hits (212).
Goodyear Complex Team (R)
Manager: Julio Morillo.
Pitching coaches: Elmer Dessens and Fred Corral.
Hitting coach: Jason Broussard.
Bench/infield coach: Anthony Manuel.
Assistant hitting/outfield coach: Luis Terrero.
Trainers: Josh Hobson and Lauren Powers.
Strength coach: Joel Canacoo.
Notes – Morillo was the Reds’ Spanish language interpreter for the Major League team before entering coaching in 2020. Corral joins the organization after four seasons as a pitching coach at the University of Missouri. Manuel, son of former Mets and White Sox manager Jerry Manuel, was a hitting coach in the MLB Draft League last summer.
Dominican Academy Team (R)
Manager: Gustavo Molina.
Pitching coaches: TBA.
Hitting coach: José León.
Bench/catching coach: Juan Ballara.
Infield coach: Luis Hernandez.
Trainers: Sam Tedtman and Jaime de los Santos.
Strength coaches: Eduardo Garcia and Rafael Hernandez.
Notes: Molina, entering his first year in the organization after working in 2020 with Atlanta, is a bench coach in the Venezuelan Winter League. León was a minor league manager in St. Louis’ farm system before joining the Reds this year. Ballara spent the last 24 seasons on the Diamondbacks’ player development staff.
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