White Sox Announce 2019 Player Development Staff
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have announced their player development staff and assignments for the 2019 season under Chris Getz, who is entering his third year as the organization’s director of player development.
Mark Grudzielanek (Class AAA Charlotte), Omar Vizquel (Class AA Birmingham), Justin Jirschele (Class A Winston-Salem), Ryan Newman (Class A Kannapolis) and Tim Esmay (Advanced Rookie Great Falls) return as managers from last season. Vizquel (2018 with Winston-Salem, including postseason), Jirschele (2018 with Kannapolis, including postseason) and Newman (2018 with Birmingham) will be at the helm of new clubs in 2019. Ever Magallanes will lead the Arizona Rookie League White Sox after overseeing the club’s Dominican Academy in 2017–18.
Pitching coaches for the 2018 season include returning staffers Steve McCatty (Charlotte), Richard Dotson (Birmingham), Matt Zaleski (Winston-Salem), José Bautista (Kannapolis), John Ely (Great Falls) and Felipe Lira (AZL). Everett Teaford and J.R. Perdew will serve as assistant pitching coordinators while Kirk Champion returns as director of minor-league pitching instruction.
Former major-leaguers Frank Menechino (hitting coach at Charlotte) and Wes Helms (coach at Birmingham) will enter their first season in the White Sox system. Menechino served as the hitting coach for the Miami Marlins from 2014–18 following a seven-year, major-league career with Oakland (1999–2004) and Toronto (2004–05). He was selected by Chicago in the 1993 amateur draft and played five seasons in its minor-league system (1993–97). Helms served as the bench coach for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the Philadelphia organization last season. He spent 13 years in the majors with Atlanta (1998, 2000–02), Milwaukee (2003–05), Florida (2006, ’08–11) and the Phillies (2007).
Other coordinators returning to the organization include Doug Sisson (field coordinator), Mike Gellinger (hitting coordinator), John Orton (catching coordinator) and Aaron Rowand (outfield/baserunning coordinator).
Following are the White Sox full player development assignments for 2019:
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTORS
Director of Player Development: Chris Getz
Field Coordinator: Doug Sisson
Director of Minor League Pitching Instruction: Kirk Champion
Assistant Pitching Coordinator: Everett Teaford
Assistant Pitching Coordinator: J.R. Perdew
Hitting Coordinator: Mike Gellinger
Hitting Analytics Instructor: Matt Lisle
Catching Coordinator: John Orton
Outfield/Baserunning Coordinator: Aaron Rowand
Leadership and Development Coordinator: Ben Broussard
Strength and Conditioning Coordinator: Dale Torborg
Medical Coordinator: Scott Takao
Physical Therapist/Rehab Coordinator: Derek Garris
ASSISTANTS TO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Assistant, Player Development: Rafael Santana
Assistant, Player Development: Tommy Thompson
Assistant, Player Development: Rod Larson
Assistant, Player Development: Graham Harboe
Rehab Pitching Coach: Brian Drahman
Education Coordinator: Erin Santana
Latin/Cultural Development Coordinator: Anthony Santiago
ARIZONA OPERATIONS
Facility Manager: Joe Lachcik
Minor League Clubhouse and Equipment Manager: Dan Flood
Assistant Minor League Clubhouse Manager: Bryant Biasotti
Latin Education Assistant: Grant Flick
CLASS AAA CHARLOTTE
Manager: Mark Grudzielanek
Pitching Coach: Steve McCatty
Hitting Coach: Frank Menechino
Coach: Guillermo Quiroz
Trainer: Josh Fallin
Conditioning: Shawn Powell
CLASS AA BIRMINGHAM
Manager: Omar Vizquel
Pitching Coach: Richard Dotson
Hitting Coach: Charlie Poe
Coach: Wes Helms
Trainer: Corey Barton
Conditioning: Tim Rodmaker
CLASS A WINSTON-SALEM
Manager: Justin Jirschele
Pitching Coach: Matt Zaleski
Hitting Coach: Jamie Dismuke
Trainer: Hyeon Kim
Conditioning: George Timke
CLASS A KANNAPOLIS
Manager: Ryan Newman
Pitching Coach: José Bautista
Hitting Coach: Cole Armstrong
Coach: Ryan Johansen
Trainer: Joe Geck
Conditioning: Goldy Simmons
ADVANCED ROOKIE GREAT FALLS
Manager: Tim Esmay
Pitching Coach: John Ely
Hitting Coach: Cam Seitzer
Trainer: Carson Wooten
Conditioning: Tyler Gniadek
ARIZONA ROOKIE LEAGUE
Manager: Ever Magallanes
Pitching Coach: Felipe Lira
Hitting Coach: Gary Ward
Coach: Louis Silverio
Trainer: Scott Johnson
Conditioning: Daniel Cobian
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ACADEMY
Field Coordinator: Guillermo Reyes
Complex Operations Coordinator: Manuel Santana
Assistant, Administration: Carolina Santos
Manager: Ángel Rosario
Pitching Coach: Leo Hernández
Hitting Coach: Ángel González
Assistant Pitching Coach: José Brito
Assistant Hitting Coach: Charlie Romero
Outfield Coach: Julio Ramírez
Trainer: José Del Villar
Conditioning Coach: Pedro Gómez
