Drayer: Additions to minor league staff continue Mariners’ technology focus

The Mariners took care of some start of the year business Monday, announcing their minor league coaching staffs and coordinators. The list, which includes seven coaches or coordinators who are new to the organization, can be found at the bottom of this post.

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Let’s break down some items of interest.

As the Mariners look to utilize every bit of technology available to better their players, additional positions have been created. The pitching strategists who will work under director of pitching strategies Brian DeLunas each bring different areas of expertise to the mix. The group will do everything from analyzing technical and bio-mechanical data to help further develop players at all levels of the Mariners, to using that information to discover unique traits to target in players from outside the organization.

On the hitting side, quality assurance coach Dustin Lind, who is also a certified physical therapist, and Jarret DeHart will do the same while having the additional duty of working closely with the Major League team. The two will rotate through seven to 10 days on and off, home and away, assisting hitting coach Tim Laker with the big league club.

“Rather than having one full-time assistant hitting coach, this will allow both to create relationships with the players,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said, noting that both could work with Mariners hitters on anything from approach to swing changes to individual game strategy.

Both coaches have worked extensively with hitters outside the organization with an emphasis on driving the baseball and launch angle.

Continuing in the theme of bringing the outside instruction players seek in house, Max Weiner, a certified biomechanics specialist and founder of The Arm Farm, has been hired as pitching coordinator.

While the additions would suggest the Mariners have their technical and bio-mechanical bases covered, the most important skill will be connecting and communicating with the players, according to Dipoto.

“It’s more about philosophies, what they are trying to teach,” he said. “We brought in the people we feel have the greatest grasp and ability to convey it.”

Here are some additional notes from the minor league coaching staff announcement.

• The managerial vacancy at Tacoma has been filled with Daren Brown, the winningest manager in Rainiers history. Brown, who enters his 22nd season in the Mariners organization, has spent the past three years managing the Double-A affiliate. He also served as interim manager of the Mariners for 50 games in 2010.

• Lake Stevens native and Oregon State grad Mitch Canham has been promoted to Double-A manager.

• While the Mariners have had a number of women who have interned as athletic trainers, Amanda Lee, who is joining the Everett AquaSox, has become the first woman to hold a full-time athletic trainer position in the organization.

Player Development Coordinators

Field Coordinator: Carson Vitale
Special Assistant, Player Development: Alvin Davis
Special Assistant, Player Development: Dan Wilson
Special Assignment, Pitching Coach: Pete Harnisch
Pitching Coordinator: Max Weiner*
Hitting Coordinator: Hugh Quattlebaum
Assistant Hitting Coordinator/Catching Coordinator: Tony Arnerich
Coordinator, Latin America Development: Cesar Nicolas
Minor League Video Coordinator: Craig Manning

High Performance Coordinators

Coordinator, Minor League Medical/Athletic Training: John Walker
Coordinator, Minor League Rehabilitation: Michael Feliciano
Coordinator, Performance Specialist: Rob Fumagali
Asst. Coordinator, Performance Specialist: Aaron Reis
Peak Performance Coach: Jimmy VanOstrand
Peak Performance Coach: David Franco
Peak Performance Coach: Adam Bernero*
Rehab Coach: Moises Hernandez
Athlete Monitoring: Dan Adams
Pitching Strategist: Trent Blank*
Pitching Strategist: Forrest Herrmann*
Hitting Strategist: Jarret DeHart

Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers

Manager: Daren Brown
Pitching Coach: Lance Painter
Hitting Coach: Roy Howell
Athletic Trainer: Tom Newberg
Assistant Athletic Trainer: Josh DiLoreto
Performance Specialist: Derek Mendoza

Double-A Arkansas Travelers

Manager: Mitch Canham
Pitching Coach: Pete Woodworth
Hitting Coach: Kyle Wilson*
Athletic Trainer: B.J. Downie
Performance Specialist: Michael Apodaca

High-A Modesto Nuts

Manager: Denny Hocking
Pitching Coach: Rob Marcello*
Hitting Coach: Jose Umbria
Athletic Trainer: Taylor Bennett
Performance Specialist: Michael Sadler

Single-A West Virginia Power

Manager: Dave Berg
Pitching Coach: Alon Leichman
Hitting Coach: Eric Farris
Athletic Trainer: Josh Gallagher
Performance Specialist: Kevin Childs

Short Season-A Everett AquaSox

Manager: Jose Moreno
Pitching Coach: Ari Ronick*
Hitting Coach: Joe Thurston
Athletic Trainer: Amanda Lee*
Performance Specialist: Alexander Pons

Rookie Peoria Mariners

Manager: Zac Livingston
Pitching Coach: Yoel Monzon
Hitting Coach: Connor Dawson*
Athletic Trainer: Randy Roetter
Performance Specialist: Andy Lyon

Minor League Equipment Manager: Isaac Ruiz
Asst. MiL Equipment Manager: Martin Nelson

Dominican Academy

Director of Dominican Admin: Martin Valerio
Asst. Baseball Operations (DR): Luis Matias
Academic Advisor: Walkyria Torres
Manager: Austin Knight
Pitching Coach: Jose Amancio
Hitting Coach: David Flores
Coach: Andy Bissell*
Coach: Luis Caballero
Athletic Trainer: Bladimir Frias
Athletic Trainer: Jorge Rodriguez*
Performance Specialist: George Drullard
Performance Specialist: Jose Rosa

*New to the Mariners organization

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