Kernels announce 2014 Field Staff

Cedar Rapids, IA - The Cedar Rapids Kernels, in conjunction with the Minnesota Twins, announce their field staff for the 2014 season.

Jake Mauer returns as the Kernels manager for 2014. He begins his seventh season as a manager in the Twins organization and his second season as the Kernels manager. He was the 23^rd round pick of the Twins in the 2001 First Year Player Draft and played five seasons in the Twins system, including 84 games in the Midwest League for Quad Cities. He is the brother of Twins catcher, Joe Mauer, and attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He resides in Shoreview, MN with his wife, Rachel; daughter, Lauren, and son, Jake.

Ivan Arteaga is the Kernels pitching coach. He was the pitching coach for the Fort Myers Miracle last season and spent seven seasons prior as the pitching coach for the GCL Twins. He was the pitching coordinator at the Twins Venezuelan Academy and for the VSL Twins from 2001-05 and was the pitching coach for the DSL Twins in 2004. He was originally signed by Montreal as a non-drafted free agent in 1989 and pitched for the Mets, Rockies and Expos. He resides in Valencia, Venezuela with his wife, Angelica and sons Ivan and Alexander.

Tommy Watkins begins his fifth season as a coach at the professional level as the Kernels hitting coach. He was selected by the Twins in the 38^th round of the 1998 First Year Player Draft out of Riverside HS in Florida and played 12 seasons in the Twins organization, including nine games for the Twins in 2007, primarily at third base. He played 78 games for Quad Cities in 2001 and has a career .248 average with 31 HR and 290 RBI in 959 minor league games. He resides in Fort Myers, FL.

Curtis Simondet is the Kernels trainer after spending 2013 with the Elizabethton Twins. Prior to that, he was the trainer for the GCL Twins for two seasons.

2014 Kernels season ticket packages are on sale now at the stadium by calling the Kernels at (319) 363-3887. Individual game tickets go on sale Monday, March 10th at 10 am. The Kernels open the 2014 Midwest League season at home at 6:35 pm against Clinton on Thursday, April 3rd.