Miguel Pérez Set to Return for Third Season as Indians Manager in 2024

INDIANAPOLIS – The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that Miguel Pérez will return for his third season as manager of the Indianapolis Indians for the upcoming 2024 season. Additional returners include hitting coach Eric Munson for his third year and pitching coach (previously bullpen coach) Drew Benes, who split 2023 between Indy and Double-A Altoona.

The Pirates also announced the additions of bench coach and former Indians infielder Chris Truby, integrated baseball performance coach (IBPC) Bart Hanegraaff, pitching coach Cibney Bello and bullpen, catching/game planning coach Chad Noble.

Manager Miguel Pérez

Pérez, 40, is entering his 10th season as a minor league coach for the Pirates, seventh in a managerial role and third as Indianapolis’ manager. With the Indians in 2023, he coached 12 players to their major league debuts, which ties Indy’s most since becoming the Pirates’ affiliate in 2005 (also: 2016). Working in a new playoff format with the International League season split into two halves, he led the Indians to a 37-37 record in the second half, moved into a share of first place three times and had his team above .500 from June 30-Aug. 9.

The former catcher began his coaching career in 2014 and made his way through Indianapolis as a coach in 2016. As a player, he was signed by Cincinnati as an international free agent out of Guatire, Miranda, Venezuela on Nov. 15, 2000, and became the first player from his hometown to make his MLB debut on Sept. 7, 2005, vs. Milwaukee. He served as an Indians backstop for brief stints during the 2009, ’11 and ’12 seasons.

Bench Coach Chris Truby

Truby, 50, is entering his 18th season of professional instruction, fifth with the Pirates and first as Indianapolis’ bench coach. He began his coaching career with Pittsburgh in 2007 as a minor league coach with High-A Lynchburg before rising to manager of Short-Season A Williamsport (2009-10), Single-A Lakewood (2011) and High-A Clearwater (2012-13) in the Phillies system. From 2013-21, he was a minor league coordinator with the Phillies before returning to the Pirates in 2022 as minor league infield coordinator.

The former major league infielder was signed by Houston as a non-drafted free agent in 1992 and made his big-league debut with the Astros on June 16, 2000, at San Francisco. Over his four-year MLB career, he also appeared with Montreal (2002), Detroit (2002) and Tampa Bay (2003). His minor league career ended with the Pirates in 2007, his second of two partial seasons with Indianapolis.

Hitting Coach Eric Munson

Munson, 46, is entering his third season as the Indians hitting coach after beginning his coaching career in affiliated baseball in 2021. He assisted the Indians’ offense to one of its best seasons in franchise history, recording the most runs (795), RBI (760) and walks (678) since 1949, highest on-base percentage since 1969 (.361), most home runs (160) since 1998 and highest slugging percentage (.439) and most hits (1,337) since 2005. For the second year in a row and the sixth time in the past 12 seasons, the Indians led the International League in triples (42).

Prior to joining Indy’s coaching staff, Munson owned and operated Gold Standard Athletics in Dubuque, Iowa since its opening in 2013. His career as an instructor began with an undergrad assistant role at his alma mater – the University of Southern California – and later as an assistant at the University of Dubuque.

He was selected by Detroit as the third overall pick in the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and made his debut one year later on July 18, 2000, vs. Cincinnati. His nine-year major league career included stints with Detroit (2000-04), Tampa Bay (2005), Houston (2006-07) and Oakland (2009).

Integrated Baseball Performance Coach Bart Hanegraaff

Hanegraaff, 35, enters his fifth season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and first with Indianapolis after spending the last four years as the Pirates’ head of methodology. In his previous role, he oversaw the integration of sports science, support staffs and coaching to develop minor league players.

As a native of Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands, he previously served as an athletic performance coach for the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation. In 2016, he appeared in 25 games with the De Glaskoning Twins of the Dutch Major League.

Pitching Coach Drew Benes

Benes, 35, is entering his eighth season in the Pirates organization and second with Indianapolis after splitting the 2023 campaign between Indy (bullpen coach) and Double-A Altoona (pitching coach). The 2023 Indians bullpen featured Cody Bolton, Carmen Mlodzinski, Kyle Nicolas, Colin Selby and Hunter Stratton, all of whom went on to make their major league debuts during the season.

After beginning his instructional career with Single-A West Virginia in 2017, Benes served as pitching coach with the GCL Pirates in 2018 and High-A Bradenton in 2019-20. Prior to his coaching career, he spent two years running the Rawlings St. Louis Prospects Baseball Club, a high school and youth baseball organization which focuses on the development of young athletes.

Benes – who was originally selected by Cincinnati as a third baseman in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft but did not sign – pitched two years at Arkansas State (Jonesboro) University before being selected by St. Louis as a right-handed pitcher in the 35th round in 2010. He spent three seasons in the Cardinals’ farm system before ending his playing career with a seven-week spring training stint with Texas and brief cameo in the Frontier League in 2013.

Pitching Coach Cibney Bello

Bello, 41, is entering his 14th season as a minor league pitching coach and first with Indianapolis after spending the past eight seasons in the Twins system. He began his instructional career in 2011 with the AZL Mariners and rose to Single-A Clinton from 2014-15 before moving to the Twins. He was scheduled to act as Triple-A Rochester’s pitching coach in 2020 and spent the last three seasons with Triple-A St. Paul.

The right-hander played eight minor league seasons after being signed by Seattle in 2000 out of La Guaira, Vargas, Venezuela. He spent his first three seasons in the Venezuelan Summer League and rose to High-A in 2006-07 before joining the Independent Can-Am and Golden Baseball Leagues from 2008-10.

Bullpen, Catching/Game Planning Coach Chad Noble

Noble, 36, is entering his third season of professional instruction with the Pirates and first with Indianapolis. Before joining the Pirates as minor league catching coordinator in 2022, he served as the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen catcher from 2014-21.

The former minor league catcher was selected by Chicago (NL) in the 37th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Northwestern (Evanston, Ill.) University and played four seasons in the Cubs’ system. He rose to Triple-A Iowa for six games in 2013 before joining the big-league staff.

Support Staff

Manager, Minor League Advance – Frederic Rioux
Athletic Training Coordinator – Tyler Brooks
Assistant Athletic Training Coordinator – Caroline Sarris
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Alan Burr
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach – Ryoji Ejima

The Indians open the 2024 season on Friday, March 29, at Louisville. They return to Victory Field for the home opener on Tuesday, April 2, vs. Memphis, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Full season, half season and mini plans are on sale, and group and premium reservations may also be made. For more on the Indians, visit IndyIndians.com or contact the Victory Field Box Office at (317) 269-3545 or [email protected].