The Houston Astros announced their minor-league staffs and coordinators for the 2023 season Thursday. The organization condensed to one Florida Complex League team, as two sources indicated this offseason, sticking with two squads for the Dominican Summer League.
Triple-A Sugar Land
Manager: Mickey Storey (fourth season)
Pitching Coach: Erick Abreu (third season)
Hitting Coach: Aaron Westlake (first season)
Development Coach: Wladimir Sutil (second season)
Athletic Trainer: Brandon Zumbach (second season)
Strength Coach: Zach Reding (second season)
Westlake, who joined the Astros in 2021 as a development coach in the Florida Complex League, was the Double-A Corpus Christi hitting coach for the 2022 season. He replaced Rafael Pena, who Houston promoted as the minor-league hitting coordinator.
Double-A Corpus Christi
Manager: Joe Thon (first season)
Pitching Coach: John Kovalik (first season)
Hitting Coach: Bobby Bell (first season)
Development Coach: Vincent Blue (first season)
Athletic Trainer: Takeaki Ando (second season)
Strength Coach: Matt Jones (first season)
“The Hooks are delighted to welcome the energy and leadership that this staff will bring to Corpus Christi as they develop future Astros,” Hooks general manager Brady Ballard said in a release. “I’ve gotten to speak with Joe a little bit over the last few weeks and it’s apparent he is raring to go. We can’t wait for Hooks Baseball at Whataburger Field.”
The Corpus Christi staff will look completely different in 2023. Thon, along with Kovalik, Blue and Jones, made the jump from Single-A Fayetteville, replacing former Hooks manager Gregorio Petit. Kovalik joined the staff, following Thomas Whitsett’s promotion to assistant minor-league pitching coordinator.
“I’m very excited about the upcoming season,” Thon said in a release. “Our staff and I understand this is a big responsibility to get the guys ready to contribute at the big-league level. We’ve known a lot of these players as rookies and it’s nice to see how they have matured and developed. It will be a bit surreal to be back in the Texas League. It’s been since 2017 but Whataburger Field was a fun place to play then, and I know we’ll have some fun this year.”
High-A Asheville
Manager: Nate Shaver (third season)
Pitching Coach: Sean Buchanan (first season)
Hitting Coach: Bryan Muniz (first season)
Development Coach: Eric Stamets (first season)
Athletic Trainer: Max Mahaffey (first season)
Strength Coach: Sam Knox (second season)
Buchanan and Muniz received promotions from the Florida Complex League. Buchanan replaced Jose Rada, who took a position with the San Diego Padres, and Muniz replaced Rene Rojas, who is now the Astros assistant minor league hitting coordinator.
Single-A Fayetteville
Manager: Ricky Rivera (first season)
Pitching Coach: Zach Wilkins (first season)
Hitting Coach: Luis Reynoso (first season)
Development Coach: Dylan Mazzo (first season)
Athletic Trainer: Jennifer Bardales (first season)
Strength Coach: Kevin Rivera (first season)
Ricky Rivera received a promotion, after managing the Florida Complex League Astros Orange in 2022. Former Iowa Western pitching coach Wilkins joined the organization this offseason, and Reynoso, a former Astros prospect, replaced Jose Puentes, who left the organization for another opportunity. Mazzo was the development coach for the Hooks in 2022.
Florida Complex League
Manager: Carlos Lugo
Pitching Coach: Arquimedes Carminero
Rehab Pitching Coach: Pat Robles
Hitting Coach: Andrew Cresci
Hitting Coach: Kyle Brennan
Development Coach: Alfredo Granier
Trainer: Brianna Spence
Trainer: Kily Gilbert
Minor League Coach: Johe Acosta
Strength Coach: Shea Connell
Strength Coach: Nick LaRue
Mental Health: Justin McKissick
Dietitian: Amanda Gonzalez
Dominican Summer League
Manager: Manuel Martinez
Pitching Coach: Rick Aponte
Hitting Coach: Elvis Rodriguez
Manager: Marcelo Alfonsin
Pitching Coach: Starlyng Sanchez
Pitching Coach: Luis Ramirez
Hitting Coach: Brauly Mejia
Coach/Support Staff: Erik Acevedo
Coach/Support Staff: Selin Aquino
Trainer: Joan Segura
Trainer: Allan Chase
Strength Coordinator: Geremias Guzman
Dietitian: Melissa Valerio
Strength Coach: Faustino Ramirez
Strength Coach: Luis Polanco
Senior Advisor: Julio Linares
Mental Skills: Andy Nunez
Minor-League Field Coordinators
Assistant Director, Player Development/Field Coordinator: Jason Bell
Pitching Coordinator: Eric Niesen
Hitting Coordinator: Rafael Pena
Catching/Outfielder Coordinator: Micheal Thomas
Infield/Base Running Coordinator: Mike Ramazzotti
Assistant Hitting Coordinator: Rene Rojas
Assistant Pitching Coordinator: Thomas Whitsett
Head of Strength and Conditioning Coordinator: Nick Shedd
Head Dietitian: Taylor Lile
Medical Coordinator: John Gregorich
Rehabilitation Coordinator: Brian Faller
Dominican Medical Coordinator: Eric Pimentel
Mental Health & Performance Coordinator: Laura Ramos
Strength and Conditioning Rehab Coordinator: Chris Martin
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