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About

Hessman named Connecticut hitting coach

Manager Rabelo returns for third year with short-season Tigers
By
December 2, 2015

NORWICH, Conn. -- The Connecticut Tigers, Class-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, announce their 2016 coaching staff led by third-year Manager Mike Rabelo. The 2016 season kicks off Friday, June 17th in Tri-City as the Tigers take on the Tri-City ValleyCats. Opening Night at Dodd Stadium is set for Wednesday, June 22nd.

Returning for his fifth season in Norwich and third as Manager is Mike Rabelo. Rabelo took over as Manager of the Tigers in 2014 and guided the team to its most successful season in franchise history. The team finished the season at 42-34 and captured the New York-Penn League wildcard. In 2015 the Tigers finished 35-38, good for third place in the Stedler Division. Rabelo previously spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons as the team's Hitting Coach. After being selected by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 2001 MLB Draft, Rabelo spent ten seasons as a player in Professional Baseball and time in the Major Leagues with Detroit (2006-2007) and Florida (2008).

"I've really enjoyed my time in Norwich over the past four seasons and look forward to another year at Dodd Stadium. It's a great town with great fans and a great facility," said Rabelo. "We have an excellent staff in place with an incredible amount of experience. We're excited to get back to town and make a run at a New York-Penn League championship in 2016."

Joining the Tigers staff for the first time in 2016 will be new Hitting Coach Mike Hessman. Hessman retired as a player following the 2015 season as the all-time Minor League Baseball leader in home runs with 433. Hessman was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 15th round of the 1996 draft and spent parts of 19 seasons in Minor League Baseball as well as time in Major League Baseball with the Braves, Tigers, and Mets and one season in the Nippon Professional Baseball league (Japan) in 2011 with the Orix Buffaloes. In 2008 Hessman was named to Team USA for the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China and won a bronze medal.

Also joining the staff in Connecticut for the first time is Pitching Coach Ace Adams. Adams is a native of Longmeadow, Massachusetts and has over 30 years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and professional level. Ace was a collegiate assistant at the University of Michigan, Brandeis University, Harvard University and Dartmouth College before coaching assignments in the Expos, Marlins, Red Sox, Cardinals, and Astros organizations. In 2015 Adams served as Pitching Coach for the Fresno Grizzlies (Class AAA, Houston).

Returning to the Connecticut staff for a second season in 2015 will be Athletic Trainer Chris Vick. 2016 marks Vick's third season with the Detroit Tigers organization, having served as an Athletic Trainer for the Gulf Coast League Tigers in 2014. Prior to joining the Tigers organization, Vick spent the 2012 season as Athletic Training Intern with the Lakewood BlueClaws (Phillies, Class A) and the 2013 season as Athletic Training Intern with the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox, Class AA).