Travs announce new-look 2016 Field Staff

The Arkansas Travelers will feature an entirely new Field Staff in 2016, led by Manager Mark Parent. Parent joins the Angels organization after spending each of the last four seasons as the Chicago White Sox Bench Coach.

By Robbie Aaron

January 11, 2016

Little Rock, AR - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announced, Monday, that the Arkansas Travelers will have an entirely new Player Development staff in 2016. The new-look field staff will be led by Manager Mark Parent, and includes Pitching Coach Scott Budner, Hitting Coach Brenton Del Chiaro and Strength and Conditioning Coach Adam Auer. The Travs athletic trainer will be announced at a later date.

New to the Angels organization, Mark Parent spent each of the last four seasons as Bench Coach for the Chicago White Sox. Parent was responsible for working with White Sox catchers and organizing spring training camp in Glendale, AZ. Parent spent the 2010 & 2011 seasons as a manager in the Philadelphia Phillies system. He led Class Double-A Reading to a 74-58 record, including a berth into the Eastern League playoffs in 2011. Parent was cited by Baseball America as "Best Manager Prospect" in the EL. The Ashland, OR native spent 2010 at the helm of Class A Lakewood, leading the BlueClaws to the South Atlantic League championship (84-55). Parent was named manager of the 2010 SAL Postseason All-Star Team. He began his managerial career in 2000 with Class A Lancaster in the Seattle Mariners organization, and was named California League Manager of the Year. As a player, Parent batted .214 (279-for-1,303) with 53 home runs and 168 RBI in 474 career major league games. In 1995, he ranked second among National League catchers with a career-high 18 home runs, while splitting the season between the Pirates and Cubs. Parent appeared in six games with the Orioles during the 1996 postseason. Parent hit .253 (943-for-3,724) with 82 home runs and 492 RBI in 12 minor league seasons. Parent resides in Palo Cedro, CA with his wife Wendy, and has two sons: Nick and Jake. Nick is a catcher in the White Sox organization.

"I am honored and excited to join the Angels organization and begin my first season in Arkansas," Parent said. "The Travs have a wonderful reputation throughout baseball and I can't wait to be a part of it."

Scott Budner joins the Angels organization after spending the last four seasons with the Seattle Mariners as a major league batting practice pitcher. A left-hander, Budner was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the sixth round of the 1977 amateur draft. He posted a 3.36 ERA with the Great Falls Giants that year, best in Pioneer League. Overall, Budner played seven years in the minors within the Giants and Orioles farm systems, reaching as high as Triple-A. After his playing career, the New London, CT native was the pitching coach at Jacksonville University in Florida from 1988 to 1990, and was a minor league coach in the Oakland Athletics organization from 1990 to 1994. Budner was also the pitching coach of the Lancaster JetHawks in 2000,Wisconsin TimberRattlers in 2001, Inland Empire 66ers in 2003, San Antonio Missions in 2004, 66ers again from 2005 to 2006, and High Desert Mavericks in 2007. In 2007, Budner was also named Seattle Mariners Player Development Staff Member of the Year. Budner pitched collegiately at Eastern Connecticut State University, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2008.

Brenton Del Chiaro joins the Travs staff after spending the last three seasons as Hitting Coach of the Angels Advanced-A Inland Empire 66ers. After playing for seven years in the Angels organization as a catcher, including parts of five (2002-2006) with the Travs, Del Chiaro was named an Angels bullpen catcher in 2007. With the Travs, Del Chiaro played 191 games, registered 573 at-bats, and experienced the last season at Ray Winder Field in 2006. The Berkeley, CA native began his coaching career in 2008 with the Orem Owlz. In 2009, Del Chiaro was named part of the Cedar Rapids Kernels staff, and got his first managerial gig with the Kernels in 2011. Del Chiaro managed the AZL Angels in 2012 before joining the 66ers staff the next year. He was selected out of the University of Kansas in the 41st round of the 2001 draft by the Angels.

After spending the last two seasons as Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Burlington Bees (Angels, Class A affiliate), Adam Auer joins the new-look Travs staff in the same role. Auer spent 2013 as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Orem Owlz.

2015 Travs Manager Bill Richardson and Pitching Coach Pat Rice remain in the Angels organization with Player Development roles. 2015 Hitting Coach Tom Tornincasa and Strength and Conditioning Coach Andrew Chappell join the Triple-A Salt Lake Field Staff.

Opening Night 2016 is scheduled for Thursday, April 7 at 7:10 p.m. vs. Midland, kicking off a six-game homestand. 2016 marks the 10-year anniversary of Dickey-Stephens Park. Season tickets and mini plans are on sale now. Call (501) 664-7559 or stop by the Travs ticket office for more information.