Suns Field Staff to Return for 2013 Season
JACKSONVILLE, FL - The Jacksonville Suns are pleased to announce that the 2012 Coaching Staff will return for the 2013 season! Andy Barkett is back at the helm as Manager for his third consecutive season as Suns skipper. John Duffy will enter his fourth season as Suns Pitching Coach and Hitting Coach Kevin Randel returns for his second season. Also returning for a second season with the Suns staff will be Trainer Masanao Fujimoto and Strength and Conditioning Coach, and First Coast area native, Jeremy McCann.
The Suns could start the season with several of the organization's top prospects, and the Marlins Organization is excited about returning the Suns Coaching Staff intact. "I am looking forward to having our entire staff from 2012 return in 2013. Andy, John, Kevin, Masa and Jeremy are dedicated leaders and quality baseball men. They take pride in being part of the Suns and the Jacksonville community and will instill that same pride in the talented group of players we will have in uniform this year" said Brian Chattin, Marlins Director of Player Development.
Barkett is entering his seventh season as a Minor League Manager and has led the Suns to 140 wins in his first two seasons as Suns manager. Barkett is looking forward to another run at a Southern League Championship in Jacksonville, "I am very excited to return to the Suns Family in 2013. We had a nice run in 2012 and have big expectations for the coming season. The Suns staff and the community of Jacksonville have embraced my family and I and it is an honor and a privilege to be able to lead their team this coming season." Barkett began his managerial career with the Tigers Organization managing the Oneonta Tigers of the New York Penn League in 2007, where he led the Tigers to the playoffs, followed by the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Florida State League from 2008-2010. As a player Barkett spent 10 years in professional baseball with six organizations as a First Baseman and Outfielder, and spent part of the 2001 season in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Leading the Suns Pitching Staff again in 2013 will be Pitching Coach John Duffy. Duffy has been with the Marlins organization since 2006, where he was the pitching coach for the Jamestown Jammers of the New York-Penn League. Duffy spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as Pitching Coach for the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League before joining the Suns staff in 2010. As a player Duffy spent six seasons in the Detroit Tigers organization.
Randel begins his fourth season as a Hitting Coach in the Marlins Organization, second in Jacksonville, in 2013. Before joining Jacksonville as Hitting Coach, Randel held the same position with the Greensboro Grasshoppers for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Prior to coaching Randel spent the 2002-2009 seasons as a player in the Marlins organization, spending the 2009 season as an infielder on the Southern League Championship Jacksonville Suns.
Masanao Fujimoto will return in 2013 for his second season as Suns Athletic Trainer. This will be Fujimoto's fifth season in the Marlins Organization, spending the 2009 & 2010 seasons with the Gulf Coast League Marlins and the 2011 season with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeremy McCann will also return for a second season in his hometown with the Suns. Prior to joining the Suns McCann spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers Organization.
2013 Season Ticket Plans and Sponsorships are currently available, contact the Jacksonville Suns Office at 904-358-2846 or log on to www.jaxsuns.com for more information. The 2013 season is presented by Everbank, official banking partner of the Jacksonville Suns. The Suns are the Double-A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins and a member of the Southern League of Professional Baseball.
The Suns could start the season with several of the organization's top prospects, and the Marlins Organization is excited about returning the Suns Coaching Staff intact. "I am looking forward to having our entire staff from 2012 return in 2013. Andy, John, Kevin, Masa and Jeremy are dedicated leaders and quality baseball men. They take pride in being part of the Suns and the Jacksonville community and will instill that same pride in the talented group of players we will have in uniform this year" said Brian Chattin, Marlins Director of Player Development.
Barkett is entering his seventh season as a Minor League Manager and has led the Suns to 140 wins in his first two seasons as Suns manager. Barkett is looking forward to another run at a Southern League Championship in Jacksonville, "I am very excited to return to the Suns Family in 2013. We had a nice run in 2012 and have big expectations for the coming season. The Suns staff and the community of Jacksonville have embraced my family and I and it is an honor and a privilege to be able to lead their team this coming season." Barkett began his managerial career with the Tigers Organization managing the Oneonta Tigers of the New York Penn League in 2007, where he led the Tigers to the playoffs, followed by the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Florida State League from 2008-2010. As a player Barkett spent 10 years in professional baseball with six organizations as a First Baseman and Outfielder, and spent part of the 2001 season in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Leading the Suns Pitching Staff again in 2013 will be Pitching Coach John Duffy. Duffy has been with the Marlins organization since 2006, where he was the pitching coach for the Jamestown Jammers of the New York-Penn League. Duffy spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as Pitching Coach for the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League before joining the Suns staff in 2010. As a player Duffy spent six seasons in the Detroit Tigers organization.
Randel begins his fourth season as a Hitting Coach in the Marlins Organization, second in Jacksonville, in 2013. Before joining Jacksonville as Hitting Coach, Randel held the same position with the Greensboro Grasshoppers for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Prior to coaching Randel spent the 2002-2009 seasons as a player in the Marlins organization, spending the 2009 season as an infielder on the Southern League Championship Jacksonville Suns.
Masanao Fujimoto will return in 2013 for his second season as Suns Athletic Trainer. This will be Fujimoto's fifth season in the Marlins Organization, spending the 2009 & 2010 seasons with the Gulf Coast League Marlins and the 2011 season with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeremy McCann will also return for a second season in his hometown with the Suns. Prior to joining the Suns McCann spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers Organization.
2013 Season Ticket Plans and Sponsorships are currently available, contact the Jacksonville Suns Office at 904-358-2846 or log on to www.jaxsuns.com for more information. The 2013 season is presented by Everbank, official banking partner of the Jacksonville Suns. The Suns are the Double-A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins and a member of the Southern League of Professional Baseball.