Marauders Announce 2019 Coaching Staff

Bradenton, Fla. - The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced the minor league managerial and coaching assignments for the 2019 season. The announcement was made by Pirates Director of Minor League Operations Larry Broadway.
Wyatt Toregas will manage the Marauders during the franchise's 10^th season. He is the seventh manager to take the helm in Bradenton. Toregas spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons as the manager for the Low-A West Virginia Power. In 2015 he guided the West Virginia Black Bears to the New York-Penn League championship in his first season as a minor league manager. Toregas ended his playing career as a Pirate in 2011 and has scouted, coached, or managed in the organization in every season since.
Toregas made it to the major leagues for two brief stints during his playing career, appearing in 19 games with the Cleveland Indians in 2009 and three games with Pittsburgh in 2011. Cleveland originally drafted Toregas in the 24^th round of the 2004 draft. He played three seasons collegiately at Virginia Tech and earned All-Big East honors in 2003.
Drew Benes is the pitching coach for the 2019 Marauders. He was the pitching coach for the GCL Pirates in 2018. During his playing career he pitched against the Marauders six times as a member of the Palm Beach Cardinals in 2012. St. Louis drafted Benes out of Arkansas State in the 35^th round of the 2010 draft. He was drafted as a position player out of high school but did not sign. Benes is the son of Andy Benes, who won 155 games over 14 years in MLB, and the nephew of Alan Benes, who spent parts of eight seasons in MLB.
Butch Wynegar returns Marauders hitting coach in 2019. This is Wynegar's fifth season working for the Pirates. He spent his first three seasons as the hitting coach for Triple-A Indianapolis before working with Bradenton last season. Wynegar played in the big leagues for 13 seasons with the Twins, Yankees, and Angels. He played in the 1976 MLB All-Star Game at just 20 years old. With the Yankees he was behind the plate for Dave Righetti's no-hitter and Phil Niekro's 300^th win. Wynegar previously managed in the Florida State League with the Charlotte Rangers from 1995-1997.
Matt Denbleyker is Bradenton's new athletic trainer. He has worked in the Pirates' minor league system in each of the previous five seasons. He has worked with Toregas in each of the last three seasons.
Logan Byman returns for his third season as the Bradenton strength coach. 2019 is his fourth season overall with the Pirates.
The 2019 Marauders home opener at LECOM Park will be on Saturday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m. The Marauders host the St. Lucie Mets.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].