Bradenton Marauders Announce 2026 Coaching Staff

BRADENTON MARAUDERS ANNOUNCE 2026 COACHING STAFF

BRADENTON, Fla. – The Bradenton Marauders announced their managerial and coaching assignments for the upcoming 2026 season.

After spending the last four seasons as the Pirates Latin American Field Coordinator, Gera Alvarez returns as manager in Bradenton for the first time since the 2018 season. In his two years at the helm of the Marauders, the club combined for 126 wins and finished as high as fourth place in 2017.

Alvarez joined the Pirates organization in 2011, serving as bench coach for Single-A West Virginia. He made his managerial debut in 2012 when he led the Dominican Summer League Pirates 1 to a league championship. Alvarez also managed the Gulf Coast League Pirates in 2019 and FCL Pirates Gold in 2021. Last winter, he also served as skipper for Mayos de Navojoa of the Mexican Pacific Winter League.

Originally from California, Alvarez was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 16th round of the 2002 draft out of Texas Tech University. Across six seasons in the Orioles system, the infielder reached Triple-A Norfolk. In 538 total games, he batted .236 with 32 home runs.

Jose Mendez joins the Marauders for the first time in 2026 and will serve as bench coach. In 2025, he managed the Florida Complex League Pirates, where he led several future Marauders prior to their promotions to Single-A, including Edward Florentino, Wyatt Sanford and Tony Blanco Jr. In previous seasons, he managed in the Dominican Summer League.

From Venezuela, Mendez played three MiLB seasons. The catcher reached as high as High-A in both the Twins and Cardinals systems. Over his three-season career, he played 62 games.

Pitching coach Matt Ford returns to Bradenton for his third stint with the club after serving in the same role from 2017–18 as well as 2023–24. The upcoming season will mark his 13th with the Pirates. In 2025, Ford oversaw the Double-A Altoona pitching staff which saw some of the Pirates’ top pitching prospects pass through such as Hunter Barco, Wilber Dotel, Khristian Curtis, Antwone Kelly and Brandan Bidois, among others.

Ford began his coaching career in the Pirates system as pitching coach for Single-A West Virginia in 2016. He has also worked stints with the Pirates as a rehab coordinator in 2019, as well as pitching coach with High-A Greensboro in 2021 and the FCL Pirates in 2022.

The Florida native was drafted out of high school by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third round of the 1999 draft. In 2003, he appeared in 25 games and made four starts at the big-league level for the Milwaukee Brewers. Over 43.2 frames, he registered a 4.33 ERA and fanned 26 hitters. Ford played ten seasons of professional baseball, also including turns in Royals and Twins systems.

Jonathan Prieto will take over as one of Bradenton’s two hitting coaches, the same role he held with High-A Greensboro over the last two seasons. In 2025, Prieto led the Grasshoppers offense to a South Atlantic League-leading 692 runs, 165 long balls, and .751 OPS. With nearly three decades of playing and coaching experience in the Pirates system, this year marks his first assignment with Single-A Bradenton.

In 2022, Prieto worked at both the FCL and Double-A levels. He was named Danny Murtaugh Coach of the Year, an award handed out to the Pirates minor league coach who had the biggest impact on the development of talent throughout the season.

Prieto also spent four seasons as a second baseman in the Pirates system. In 322 games, he reached base at a .331 clip and drove in 100 runs.

Ryan Powers will also serve as a hitting coach for Bradenton in 2026, marking his first season in the Pirates organization. He spent the previous five years with the Kansas City Royals, where he most recently served in the same role for High-A Quad Cities. Before his time with the River Bandits, Powers was assistant hitting coach with Triple-A Omaha in 2022 and spent previous seasons working with the Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Angels.

Powers played college baseball at Wartburg College and graduated in 2014. Over his four-year career, he was a two-time All-Conference selection and was named to the ABCA-Rawlings All-America team in 2013.

Gustavo Omaña is the lone returner on the Marauders coaching staff from 2025, reprising his role as catching coach in 2026. He was also Bradenton’s bench coach from 2022-24 and an assistant coach for Triple-A Indianapolis in 2021. This season marks his 17th on a professional baseball staff as he spent six seasons as a hitting coach and catching instructor in the Tampa Bay Rays organization from 2010-15. Omaña also played four seasons in the Cincinnati Reds organization for their Venezuelan Summer League affiliate.

Wilson Boada will take over as the Athletic Training Coordinator for the Marauders in 2026. In 2023, he was named the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society Minor League Athletic Trainer of the Year Award for his work in the Dominican Summer League. 2026 marks his sixth season in the Pirates organization.

Additionally, Kinley Farriester joins the club as assistant training coordinator and Omar Aguilar will assume the role of strength and conditioning coach.

Nora Brandon embarks on her first season in the Pirates organization and will serve as Bradenton’s performance dietician.

The Bradenton Marauders begin the 2026 campaign on Thursday, April 2 in Dunedin against the Blue Jays, opening a three-game series. They return to LECOM Park on Tuesday, April 7 for their home opener with the Palm Beach Cardinals at 5:30 p.m.

For tickets and more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.bradentonmarauders.com, or email [email protected].