Former 'Dads Managers on Rangers Staff

Hickory, NC - The Texas Rangers, parent club of the Hickory Crawdads, have named two former Crawdads managers to their major league coaching staff, with Tony Beasley serving as the third base coach and Hector Ortiz becoming the team's first base coach and catching instructor for the 2015 season.

Beasley, who will turn 48 on December 5, served as the Crawdads Manager in both 2002 and 2003, where he was named the Low Class-A Manager of the Year in both seasons by Baseball America. Beasley led the 'Dads to their first-ever South Atlantic League Championship in '02 while being named to the league's post-season All-Star team. The 'Dads returned to the playoffs in Beasley's second year at the helm in '03, with the skipper also managing the SAL Northern Division in the mid-season All-Star Game.

Beasley has spent the past four seasons in the Washington organization as a minor league co-field coordinator (2014), Triple-A manager (2012-13), and Double-A manager (2011). He was with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2007-10, where he worked with new Rangers manager Jeff Banister, spending the last three seasons of that stint as the club's major league third base coach and baserunning instructor. Beasley was also the Nationals third base coach in 2006 under manager Frank Robinson. He has extended ties to the Pirates, spending the final six seasons of his minor league playing career in the organization before serving as a farm system coach and manager from 1998-2005.

Ortiz, 45, managed the Crawdads in their first year as a Rangers affiliate in 2009, before returning to the team as the hitting instructor in 2010. The Puerto Rico native has made repeated trips to Hickory in recent seasons serving as the Rangers minor league catching coordinator from 2011-'14.

Ortiz will be in his first major league coaching position, although he has spent extended stints with the big league club as a catching instructor the past few years. Next year will be his 10th season in the Texas organization. In addition to his time in Hickory, Ortiz served as hitting coach at Rookie-level Spokane (2006-08), manager for the Arizona League Rangers (2011), and as the farm system's catching coordinator (2011-14). He also managed Ponce in the Puerto Rican Winter League after the 2012 season. Ortiz played 93 games over four major league seasons with Kansas City (1998, 2000-01) and Texas (2002).

TEXAS RANGERS 2015 MAJOR LEAGUE COACHING STAFF

Manager - Jeff Banister

Bench coach - Steve Buechele

Pitching coach - Mike Maddux

Hitting coach - Dave Magadan

First base coach - Hector Ortiz

Third base coach - Tony Beasley

Bullpen coach - Andy Hawkins

Field coordinator - Jayce Tingler

Asst. hitting coach - Bobby Jones

 

###