Forty Former Crawdads in Major/ Minor League Positions
Forty former Crawdads players, coaches and managers currently dot the landscape of baseball jobs. Here is the list of assignments for the 2011 season.
MAJOR LEAGUES:
Mike Barnett (hitting coach '96): Houston Astros - Hitting Coach. Barnett was the Astros' minor league hitting coordinator the past two seasons.
Ricky Bennett ('93): Houston Astros - Director of Pro Scouting. Bennett was reassigned in the Astros' shakeup of their minor league system, moving over from his former position as the Director of Player Development.
Dave Clark (manager '04): Houston Astros - Third Base Coach. Clark is in his third season with the Astros.
Dave Keller (hitting coach '95): Chicago Cubs - Special Assistant. Keller was promoted to the major league club after serving as the Cubs' minor league hitting coordinator.
Pete Mackanin (manager '01): Philadephia Phillies - Bench Coach. Mackanin is in his third season with the Phillies.
Mark Salas (hitting coach '93): Chicago White Sox - Bullpen Catcher. Salas is in his fifth season as the bullpen catcher, his second stint in this capacity after serving the same role in 1996-1999.
Ray Searage (pitching coach '05): Pittsburgh Pirates - Pitching Coach. Searage served as the interim pitching coach late last season with the interim title removed during the off-season.
Allen Thomas ('96-'97): Chicago White Sox - Director of Conditioning. Thomas is in his eighth season with Chicago.
Adam Virchis ('94): Chicago White Sox - Scout. Virchis is in his eighth season as a scout with the White Sox.
MINOR LEAGUES:
Mike Rojas (manager '95): Detroit Tigers - Director of Player Development. Rojas was the Tigers' Field Director for three seasons until his promotion last August.
Bob Henley ('02): Washington Nationals - Field Director. Henley is in his second season as Washington's Field Director.
Gary Green (manager '07-'08): Pittsburgh Pirates - Minor League Infield Coordinator. Green had managed the Pirates Low A affiliate at Hickory and West Virginia the past four seasons.
Curt Hasler (pitching coach '93-'94): Chicago White Sox - Minor Pitching Coordinator. Hasler's has a new role role after 18 seasons as a pitching coach in the White Sox system. Hasler was the pitching coach at Bristol (Rookie) the past two seasons.
MINOR LEAGUES - AAA
Greg Norton ('93): New Orleans Zephyrs (Florida Marlins) - Manager. After completing a 14-year major league career, Norton began last season as the hitting coach with the Zephyrs. He took over the managerial reins when Edwin Rodriguez was named the Marlins' manager in June.
Frank Menechino ('93): Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Yankees (New York Yankees) - Infield Coach. Menechino was with the Yankees' AA team at Trenton last season.
Jeff Branson (manager '05-'06): Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh) - Hitting Coach. Branson is in his third season with the Indians.
MINOR LEAGUES - AA
Tony Beasley (manager '02-'03): Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals) - Manager. Beasley begins his first season in the Nationals organization after spending three years as the third base coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Chris Cron (manager '96-'97): Erie Seawolves (Detroit Tigers) - Manager. Cron joins the Tigers organization after spending the last four years as the manager with Great Falls. (Rookie - Chicago White Sox)
Chris Tremie ('93): Akron Aeros (Cleveland Indians) - Manager. In his first season with the Aeros, Tremie managed the Arizona Summer League Indians last season.
Bob Milacki (pitching coach '01): Reading Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies) - Pitching Coach. Milacki is in his second season with the Phillies' AA team in Reading.
Brandon Moore ('04): Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) - Hitting Coach. Moore returns to the Curve as their hitting coach after two seasons with State College (SS-A). Moore was with the Curve from 2006-2008.
MINOR LEAGUES - HIGH A
Blaine Beatty (pitching coach '00): Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles) - Pitching Coach. Beatty returns for his fifth season with the Keys.
Brad Holman (pitching coach '09-'10): Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Texas Rangers) - Pitching Coach. Holman bumps up to the Rangers' High A affiliation after two seasons in Hickory.
Dave Lundquist (player '94 & '02, pitching coach '06-'07): Clearwater Threshers (Philadelphia Phillies) - Pitching Coach. Lundquist is in his third season with the Threshers.
Doc Watson (pitching coach '99): Charlotte Stone Crabs (Tampa Bay Rays) - Pitching Coach. Watson joins the Rays' system after the three years in the Florida Marlins organization, the last season with Jupiter (High A).
MINOR LEAGUES - LOW A
Mark Haley (pitching coach '94, manager '98): South Bend Silver Hawks (Arizona Diamondbacks) - Manager. Haley is in the seventh season with South Bend.
Carlos Chantres ('96): Charleston RiverDogs (New York Yankees) - Pitching Coach. Chantres joins the R-Dogs after spending the last two seasons with the Gulf Coast League Yankees (Rookie).
Jeff Johnson (pitching coach '08): West Virginia Power (Pittsburgh Pirates) - Pitching Coach. Johnson is in his third season with the Power.
Ben Oglivie (hitting coach '99): West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers) - Hitting Coach. Oglivie returns to baseball after a year away from the game. He was in the Tampa Bay Rays system for three years prior to his absence in 2010.
MINOR LEAGUES - SHORT SEASON LEAGUES
Mark Johnson ('95): Boise Hawks (Chicago Cubs) - Manager. Retired last season after seeing limited playing time with the Cubs' AAA team at Iowa. This is Johnson's first managerial position.
Ryan Newman (player '03, hitting coach '07): Great Falls Voyagers (Chicago White Sox) - Manager. Newman is in his first season with the Voyagers after spending two seasons with the White Sox affiliate at Bristol, TN.
Hector Ortiz (manager '09): Arizona Summer League Rangers (Texas Rangers) - Manager. Ortiz will manage the Rangers summer league team after serving as the hitting coach in 2010.
Pete Rose, Jr. ('94): Bristol White Sox (Chicago White Sox) - Manager. Rose returns to affiliated baseball after an extended term with independent league teams as a player and coach. Rose was the hitting coach last season with the Florence (KY) Freedom in the Frontier League.
Josh Bonifay (player '00-'01, assistant coach '08): Greeneville Astros (Houston Astros) - Hitting Coach. Bonifay joins the Astros for his first season after spending last year with the Pirates' Low A affiliate West Virginia Power.
Franklin Bravo ('99): Auburn Doubledays (Washington Nationals) - Pitching Coach. Bravo is in his seventh year with the Nationals organization, his second with the short season affiliation, which moved from Vermont after last season.
Greg Briley (hitting coach '00, '02, '05-'06): Bristol White Sox (Chicago White Sox) - Hitting Coach. Briley moves to the White Sox rookie league affiliate after two seasons with the Low A affiliate at Kannapolis.
Nelson Cruz ('95): Arizona Summer League Padres (San Diego Padres) - Pitching Coach. Cruz is in his second season with the AZL Padres.
Brian Dayett (hitting coach '09): Spokane Indians (Texas Rangers) - Hitting Coach. Dayette will be in his second season with the Indians.
Scott Dwyer (assistant coach '09): Connecticut Tigers (Detroit Tigers) - Hitting Coach. Dwyer will spend his second season with the rookie league Tigers.
Wuarnner Rincones ('94): Princeton Rays (Tampa Bay Rays) - Hitting Coach. Rincones will be in his second season with the Rays' rookie league team.
Christina Eagle Set for Post-Game Concert
Hickory, NC- The Crawdads are excited to announce that Christina Eagle will perform a post-game concert on Saturday, June 7th. The concert will begin immediately following the 5pm Crawdads game against the Columbia Fireflies. Eagle, from Catawba, was a participant on season 26 of the Voice. She was a member
Crawdads Claw Back with 5 Runs to Ground the Pelicans
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads scored five unanswered runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to pick up an 8-7 win over Myrtle Beach on Sunday Night at LP Frans Stadium. The Crawdads entered the contest with the dubious distinction of alternating wins and losses through their first eleven
Cabrera Goes Bump in the Night, 'Dads Win 4-3
Hickory, NC- Yeremy Cabrera hit a soft line drive down the left field line that scored Maxton Martin and sent 2,699 fans home happy with a 4-3 win over Myrtle Beach on Saturday night at LP Frans Stadium. The fans celebrated the halfway mark to Halloween with a jersey giveaway,
Pelicans Get Past Crawdads in Extras 8-7
Hickory, NC- Jose Escobar broke a 6-6 stalemate in the 11th inning with an RBI single to right, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans claimed an 8-7 win in extras against the Hickory Crawdads at LP Frans Stadium. On a night that featured free t-shirts, the Zooperstars! and post-game fireworks, it
Easley Does It: 'Dads Win 6-1
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads got a solid pitching performance from J'Briell Easley and multi-hit games from a trio of players to pick up a 6-1 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at LP Frans on Thursday night. Easley, seeking win number two on the season, was in control for
Crawdads Fall in Extras 10-7
Hickory, NC- Maxton Martin and Pablo Guerrero clubbed home runs on Wednesday afternoon, but the Myrtle Beach Pelicans got a grand slam homer in the 10th inning from Jose Escobar to propel the Pelicans to a 10-7 win over the Crawdads at LP Frans Stadium. The Crawdads took an early
Crawdads Defeat Pelicans in Game 1
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads scored twice in the eighth and held off a Myrtle Beach rally to win 2-1 on Tuesday night at LP Frans Stadium. Ismael Agreda got the start for the Crawdads, playing as their Latin-inspired Llamas identity, and put together another solid outing. The right-hander went
Crawdads Split Series with Kannapolis After 5-2 Loss
Hickory, NC- The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers broke a 2-2 deadlock with a trio of runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Hickory Crawdads 5-2 at LP Frans Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Hickory came into the Sunday matinee with a chance to even their 2025 record to .500 for the
Perich and Molina Power Crawdads to Saturday Win
Hickory, NC- Mason Molina provided the punch on the mound and Rafe Perich provided the pop at the plate on Saturday night as the Hickory Crawdads defeated the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 11-6 at LP Frans Stadium in front of 2,509 "Friends". The Crawdads celebrated their 2015 South Atlantic League Championship,
Martin Homers in 5-2 Loss
Hickory, NC- The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers used a three-run fourth inning and steady pitching from Justin Sinibaldi and two relievers to claim a 5-2 on Friday night at LP Frans Stadium. Caden Scarborough, seeking his first win of 2025, opened the contest with a clean first inning to the delight
Crawdads Win in Extras 5-4
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads picked up a walk-off win Thursday afternoon, defeating the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 5-4 at LP Frans Stadium. Playing their second Education Day game of 2025, the Crawdads' Pablo Guerrero scored on an errant throw from Kannapolis reliever Liam Paddack in the 10th inning to claim
Cabrera Collects 3 Doubles in 'Dads Loss
Hickory, NC- The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers slugged three homers en route to a 14-3 win over the Hickory Crawdads on Wednesday night at LP Frans Stadium. One night after Hickory (16-18) one-hit Kannapolis on their way to a 7-0 win to open the series, Kannapolis would issue an emphatic rebuttal
Agreda Shines as 'Dads One-Hit Kannapolis
Hickory, NC- Ismael Agreda collected his first win of 2025 with a sterling five innings of work, while the offense performed in a very efficient way, shutting out the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 7-0 on Tuesday night at LP Frans Stadium. Tonight's game at the Frans is the first of 12
Crawdads Settle for Split with Salem
Hickory, NC- The Salem Red Sox scored early and often on Sunday afternoon, earning a split of the six-game series against the Hickory Crawdads by a 19-1 score at LP Frans Stadium. The Red Sox showed no ill effects of last night's walk-off loss against the Crawdads, as they slugged
Balking on Sunshine
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads claimed their first walk-off win of 2025 on Saturday night, scoring twice in the ninth to defeat the Salem Red Sox 6-5 at LP Frans Stadium. The Crawdads opened the scoring in the first, manufacturing a run on a sacrifice fly from Beycker Barroso to
Resilient Crawdads Take Down Salem 6-4
Hickory, NC- Wady Mendez led a Hickory Crawdads charge in the middle innings to overtake the Salem Red Sox 6-4 on Friday night at LP Frans Stadium. Reigning Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Mason Molina toed the slab for Hickory, seeking a repeat of last week's effort against the
Crawdads Blank Red Sox 8-0
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads banged out 13 hits on Thursday night to defeat the Salem Red Sox 8-0 at LP Frans Stadium. Caden Scarborough, Thomas Ireland and William Privette stymied the Red Sox, scattering seven hits while striking out ten Salem hitters on their way to the club's second
Crawdads Rack Up 17 Strikeouts in Loss
Hickory, NC- The Salem Red Sox defeated the Crawdads 4-0 in ten innings on Wednesday night in front of 1,297 fans at LP Frans Stadium. The Crawdads, playing as their Llamas de Hickory identity for the second time this season, were deadlocked through nine frames with Salem as four Hickory
Perich Homers in Loss to Salem
Hickory, NC- The Salem Red Sox used a trio of four-run innings to claim their first win of the series, defeating the Hickory Crawdads by a 12-6 score at LP Frans Stadium on Tuesday night. The Red Sox scored four runs in the second and third innings to give Salem
Lopez and Pollard Lead Crawdads to Series Win
Hickory, NC- Saturday night, Chandler Pollard used his glove to secure a win for the Hickory Crawdads. Pollard ran down a shot to the right centerfield gap to preserve the 8-7 win in thrilling fashion over Augusta. On Sunday, Pollard stayed locked into hero mode for the Crawdads with a
Pollard Makes Game-Saving Catch in 8-7 Win
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads plated four runs in the eighth inning and held off a furious rally by the Augusta GreenJackets to win on Saturday night by an 8-7 score at LP Frans Stadium. The Crawdads scored three runs in the first inning off Augusta starter Rayven Antonio to
Mendez Knocks First Homer in Loss
Hickory, NC- Mac Guscette collected three hits for the Augusta while Brett Sears pitched four innings of scoreless relief, as the GreenJackets won on a Friday night at LP Frans Stadium against the Crawdads. Hickory, playing as the Llamas for the first time at the Frans this season, was attempting
Crawdads Fall 4-2 on Thursday Night
Hickory, NC- Owen Hackman pitched into the sixth inning for the Augusta GreenJackets and Nick Montgomery led a seven-hit attack on the way to a 4-2 win over the Hickory Crawdads on Thursday night at LP Frans Stadium. Hackman pitched 5.1 innings, surrendering just two hits and striking out seven.
Crawdads Hold Augusta to One Hit
Hickory, NC- Brooks Fowler and Michael Valverde led a quartet of pitchers to another dominant performance on Wednesday afternoon as the Hickory Crawdads cruised to a 6-2 win in front of 3,328 fans on the first Education Day game of 2025. The ‘Dads pitching staff allowed just one hit in
Crawdads Toss No Hitter on Opening Night
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads played their first Carolina League game at LP Frans Stadium in front of 1,303 people on a cool Tuesday night. And it proved to be one for the record books! Kamdyn Perry, William Privette and J'Briell Easley combined to throw a nine-inning no hitter as