Atlanta Braves announce minor league coaching staffs for 2019
Mississippi Braves
Mississippi returns four of the five primary coaches to the team this season. Manager Chris Maloney will serve his second season with the M-Braves. Pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn enters his 37th year in professional baseball as a coach, with 2019 being his 7th with the Atlanta Braves organization.
Hitting coach Carlos Mendez also has a wealth of experience, entering his 12th season as a coach in professional baseball. Trainer T.J. Saunders returns as trainer after being selected as the 2018 Southern League Athletic Trainer of the Year.
Alfredo Amezaga ends a 19-year professional playing career with his first coaching position on the Mississippi staff. While never a member of the Braves at the major or minor league level as a player, Amezaga did spend parts of 9 years in the major leagues.
Florida Fire Frogs
While part of the Atlanta Braves organization, Barrett Kleinknect moves up to Florida as manager this season after two seasons managing in rookie league levels in the Braves organization. He will be joined by pitching coach Dan Meyer, who is moving up from Rome this season.
Hitting coach Doug DeVore moves into his first coaching role with Florida this season. He joins Porky Lopez as bench coach and trainer Dave Corneau on the Fire Frogs staff.
Rome Braves
After having long-term, established managers at the helm for many years in Rome, 2019 will be a change as first-year manager Matt Tuiasosopo makes his coaching debut as the Rome manager. He will be joined in Rome by one of the rising coaching stars in the Braves system, pitching coach Kanekoa Texeira, who moves up from Danville.
Hitting coach Bobby Moore is the lone returning coach to Rome. Wigberto Nevarez joins Rome as bench coach after essentially serving as player/coach for the last couple of years of his minor league career. Eric Hrycko will be Rome’s team trainer.
Now where the Atlanta Braves have become notorious for their development of coaches, the short-season levels…