Jeff Branson joins Tribe field staff
"Both Jeff Branson and Ray Searage are coaches who have had the opportunity to work with many of the players we will have with us this season," Indians vice president & general manager Cal Burleson says. "They have provided instruction at a time when those players were earlier in the development process. Having both Ray and Jeff here will help us to have continuity in the type of instruction our players receive, and has the potential to have a very positive impact in their progress."
Branson joins the Tribe after spending the previous two seasons as the manager of Class A Advanced Lynchburg, and is in his sixth season as a coach/manager in the Pittsburgh organization. He played in 139 games for Indianapolis during the 1997 and 1999 seasons, and played in more than 694 Major League contests over nine seasons with the Reds, Indians and Dodgers.
A second-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 1988, Branson was also a member of the gold-medal winning 1988 United States Olympic baseball team in Seoul, South Korea. He and his wife Chastity have three children, sons Shelton (11) and Landon (2), and daughter Maclai (9).
"We are excited to add Jeff Branson to our Indianapolis staff after a successful stint managing in the lower levels," Pirates director of player development Kyle Stark says. "Managing has prepared Jeff to be an even better coach as he positively impacts the development of our upper-level position players. Jeff is a quality instructor on both sides of the ball. He, too, represents the values of this organization and helps make us better going forward."
Along with Branson, pitching coach Ray Searage is set to return to Indianapolis in 2009, after joining the Indians staff during the 2008 season. Searage saw several of his pitchers make the jump to Pittsburgh during the 2008 season, and still managed to guide the Tribe pitching staff to its third largest strikeout total in team history.
"Ray Searage represents everything we value in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and player development," Pirates director of player development, Kyle Stark says. "He is a quality person and teacher with knowledge, passion, energy and a unique ability to connect with players in order to help them reach their potential. We are fortunate to have someone like Ray preparing our pitchers for the most difficult jump in their careers -- to Pittsburgh."
The 53-year-old Searage enters his seventh year as an instructor in the Pirates organization, during which he has coached 13 of 20 pitchers on the Bucs' 40-man roster.
Ministral enters his 12th campaign in the Pirates farm system and his third year in Indianapolis. The 34-year-old previously worked with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates (Bradenton, Fla.), Class A Short-Season Williamsport (Pa.), Class A Advanced Lynchburg (Va.) and Triple-A Nashville (Tenn.).
Malik enters his fifth season in the Bucs chain and his fourth year in Indianapolis. The 26-year-old worked with Class A Hickory (N.C.) in 2005 after joining the organization from the college ranks.
The Indians open the 2009 season on Thursday, April 9 at Victory Field against their division rivals the Toledo Mud Hens. Season tickets are on sale now at www.IndyIndians.com or by calling the Victory Field Box at 317-269-3545.
For all your Indianapolis Indians holiday gift ideas, please be sure to check out the Hot Corner Gift Shop, located on the third base side of Victory Field and open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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