Parrish set to return to Mud Hens

DETROIT -- The Tigers announced on Wednesday that Larry Parrish will return as planned to his role as manager at Triple-A Toledo next season. The organization also laid out the rest of its 2008 Minor League coaching staffs and announced a handful of Minor League player signings.

Parrish, who missed the 2007 season after undergoing ankle surgery to address a degenerative condition, will return for what will be his fifth season guiding the Mud Hens, who won back-to-back International League Governors' Cup titles under his leadership in 2005 and 2006. The former Tigers skipper was named the Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year in 2005 for his success.

Mike Rojas, who guided the Mud Hens back to the playoffs last year as the interim manager, will take a promotion to Minor League field coordinator. That position has been open in the organization since Glenn Ezell's promotion to director of player development. Rojas had been a roving instructor before heading back into managing to fill in for Parrish.

Parrish will have a new pitching coach next year. A.J. Sager, who has held the position for several years in the Tigers' farm system, will assume the role and get to work in his hometown. He spent the last four years with manager Matt Walbeck -- first at Class A West Michigan for three years, then last season at Double-A Erie. Highly regarded hitting coach Leon Durham will remain with Toledo.

Walbeck will remain at Erie next season. His pitching coach will be Ray Burris, while Glenn Adams remains as hitting coach for the SeaWolves. Burris will be making his third stop in as many years in the Tigers' system, having coached at West Michigan last year and short-season Oneonta before that.

West Michigan manager and former Tigers player Tom Brookens, meanwhile, returns after leading the Whitecaps to their second straight Midwest League championship last season. His pitching coach will be former Major Leaguer Alan Mills, who made a comeback attempt as a player at Double-A Erie last year before hanging it up. Benny DiStefano returns as Whitecaps hitting coach.

With former Class A Advanced Lakeland manager Kevin Bradshaw now serving as the organization's infield coordinator, Andy Barkett receives a managerial promotion from Oneonta to the Flying Tigers. Lakeland's coaching staff of former Tigers Joe Coleman and Larry Herndon remains intact.

Other managers in the farm system will include Basilio Cabrera in the Gulf Coast League, Fray Peniche in the Dominican Summer League and Josman Robles in the Venezuelan Summer League.

On the playing side, the Tigers announced they've agreed to terms on Minor League contracts to keep Aquilino Lopez, Preston Larrison, Erick Almonte, Gabe Benitez and Nick Trzesniak in the organization. Lopez was the only one of the group to see time in Detroit, pitching in 10 games with the Tigers over two different stints. He racked up 26 saves as the closer for Toledo to go with a 3-5 record and 2.35 ERA in 48 appearances.

Larrison spent the entire season in the Mud Hens bullpen, going 2-2 with a 3.84 ERA in 58 2/3 innings over 45 appearances. Almonte split the season between the infields at Toledo and Erie, batting a combined .286. Benitez pitched in 42 games for Lakeland, while Tresniak caught the last half of the season for Erie after joining the club on June 23.