GreenJackets Announce 2018 Field Staff
AUGUSTA, GA - The Augusta GreenJackets, Single 'A' Affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, in conjunction with their parent club, the San Francisco Giants, have announced the inaugural Field Staff for SRP Park. Jolbert Cabrera takes the reigns of the managerial post as we welcome him for his first season
AUGUSTA, GA - The Augusta GreenJackets, Single 'A' Affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, in conjunction with their parent club, the San Francisco Giants, have announced the inaugural Field Staff for SRP Park. Jolbert Cabrera takes the reigns of the managerial post as we welcome him for his first season in the CSRA to start the new era of GreenJackets Baseball.
Returning to the staff to join Cabrera is Clay Rapada, Pitching Coach, Thomas Neal, Hitting Coach and Ydwin Villegas, Fundamentals Coach. New to the staff in 2018 will be Vito Maeffei, Trainer, Jesse White, Strength Coach and Michael Johnson, Bullpen Coach.
Cabrera, 45, managed the 2017 Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, Class 'A' Short Season Affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. He has over four years of previous coaching experience under his belt, starting in 2014 as the hitting coach for the Arizona League Reds (Cincinnati Reds Rookie Affiliate). In 2015, Cabrera held the same position with the Billings Mustangs (Cincinnati Reds Rookie Affiliate) and helped them to a second-place finish in the Pioneer League North Division, along with a playoff berth. From there, Cabrera, 44, coached for the Colombian International team when they won a trip to the 2017 World Baseball Classic for the first time in the country's history. In 2016 he moved into the San Francisco system where he served as one of the hitting coaches for the Arizona League Giants. Cabrera was signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent in 1990, Cabrera played a total of 22 seasons in professional baseball. He spent eight seasons in the Major Leagues, making his debut in 1998 for the Cleveland Indians. He also spent two seasons with Los Angeles Dodgers and one with both the Cincinnati Reds and the Seattle Mariners. In addition, Cabrera competed overseas for seven seasons in Japan, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Mexico.
"I am very excited and humbled to be a part of opening the new stadium in Augusta. It is an honor to be the manager for the club and I look forward to working with a quality staff as we continue to help develop quality young men," stated GreenJackets Manager Jolbert Cabrera. "Augusta is a passionate baseball community and I know our players look forward to playing in front of them next season."
Rapada returns as Pitching Coach for his third season for the GreenJackets. Rapada spent parts of seven seasons in the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. 2018 will be his 3rd season in the Giants organization. Under Rapada's tutelage in 2017,
Neal returns to the GreenJackets as the Hitting coach for the 2018 season. Neal made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Cleveland Indians. He also spent time with the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs. Neal played for the GreenJackets in 2008.
Villegas, a former GreenJacket (2010 and 2011), is returning to the GreenJackets for a second season as the fundamentals coach. Villegas spent six seasons in the Giants system from 2008 - 2014.
"We look forward to welcoming Jolbert and the staff to the CSRA in 2018," said Augusta GreenJackets Vice President, Tom Denlinger. "We are thrilled to have this staff lead the new era of GreenJackets Baseball and provide an exciting brand of baseball in our new home. We thank the Giants not only for their commitment to the CSRA but for providing us with a first-class staff to lead the GreenJackets this inaugural season at our new home, SRP Park."
About the Augusta GreenJackets
The Augusta GreenJackets kick off the Inaugural Season at SRP Park on April 12th against the Lexington Legends (Kansas City Royals). SRP Park is the anchor piece of Riverside Village, a live, work, "playball" development which includes apartment living, senior living, retail, restaurants, class "A" office space, and a Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. Deposits are currently being accepted for Full Season Seats for the GreenJackets 2018 season. To learn more and for a 360-degree view of SRP Park and Riverside Village, visit www.greenjackets2018.com.
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