2014 Coaching Staff Announced
The New York Yankees Player Development office has officially released the 2014 Tampa Yankees Field Staff. Joining the Single-A Advanced T-Yanks are Manager Al Pedrique, Pitching Coach Danny Borrell, Hitting Coach PJ Pilittere, Coach JD Closser, Trainer Michael Becker and Strength and Conditioning Coach Joe Siara.
AL PEDRIQUE - MANAGER
BORN: 8/11/60 in Valencia, Venezuela • RESIDES: Tucson, Ariz.
COACHING CAREER: Enters his second season in the Yankees organization and his first as Tampa's manager…spent the 2013 season as manager of Single-A Charleston, leading the RiverDogs to a 75-63 (.543) overall record…spent the previous 16 years as a manager or coach in the Astros, Diamondbacks and Royals organizations…served in several different posts in the Astros system over seven seasons, including bench coach (2010-11), third base coach (2009), minor league field coordinator (2008-09) and special assistant to the general manager (2005-07)…began the 2004 season as Arizona's third base coach before spending the second half of the year as the team's interim manager…prior to that, spent nine seasons as a minor league manager (1995-2003), compiling a 463-433 (.517) overall record…managed the 2002 Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League and served as a coach for the World Team in the 2003 MLB All-Star Futures Game at U.S. Cellular Field… PLAYING CAREER: Was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Pirates in 1978…combined to hit .247 with 18 doubles, 1HR and 36RBI in parts of three seasons with the Mets (1987), Pittsburgh (1987-88) and Detroit (1989)… PERSONAL: Has two daughters: Mariana and Liliana.
DANNY BORRELL - PITCHING COACH
BORN: 1/24/79 in Landsdale, Penn. • RESIDES: Wichita, Kan.
COACHING CAREER: Enters his sixth season as a coach in the Yankees organization and his first with Tampa…spent two seasons as a pitching coach with Single-A Charleston (2012-13) after serving in the same role with short-season Single-A Staten Island in 2011…prior to that, spent two seasons as a rehabilitation pitching coach in the GCL… PLAYING CAREER: Selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft…played nine minor league seasons with the Yankees (2000-06) and Oakland (2007-08)… the left-hander compiled a career record of 39-35 with a 3.49 ERA in 138 games (130 starts)… split the 2008 season between the Athletics' Double-A Midland and Triple-A Sacramento squads, before landing on the disabled list in June for the remainder of the season with a left elbow strain… PERSONAL: Pitched at Wake Forest.
PJ PILITTERE - HITTING COACH
BORN: 11/23/81 in Galesburg, Ill. • RESIDES: Indio, Calif.
COACHING CAREER: Will enter his first season as hitting coach for Tampa after serving in the same role for Single-A Charleston in 2013…made his professional coaching debut in 2012 as a coach with GCL… PLAYING CAREER: Was originally selected by the Yankees in the 13th round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft… hit .264 with 77 doubles, 16HR and 183RBI in 470 career minor league games over eight seasons in the Yankees system…twice led his respective league in fielding percentage, producing a .995 fielding percentage (with Double-A Trenton) in 2007 and a .998 fielding percentage (with Single-A Tampa) in 2006… PERSONAL: Full name is Peter John Pilittere…was named team captain at Cal State Fullerton in 2004, helping lead his team to the College World Series… batted .351 with 18 doubles, 4HR and 49RBI in 69 games during his senior season…graduated from Bishop Amat High School in Walnut, Calif…was honored with first-team All-Del Rey League and honorable mention All-San Gabriel Valley recognitions…was the starting catcher in the 1999 San Gabriel Valley All-Star game.
JD CLOSSER - COACH
BORN: 1/15/80 in Beech Grove, Ind. • RESIDES: Garner, N.C.
COACHING CAREER: Will be making his professional coaching debut in 2014…in 2012 and 2013, worked as a coach in the USA Baseball National Team Development Programs… PLAYING CAREER: Was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth round of the 1998 First-Year Player Draft…spent four seasons in the Diamondbacks' minor league system (1998-2001)…was traded to the Rockies on 1/2/02 and spent five seasons in their organization (2002-06)…made his Major League debut on 6/30/04 and played in 36 games with Colorado that season, batting .319 with 10RBI…began the 2005 season as the Rockies' starting catcher…hit .239 in 160 career games in the Majors, all with the Rockies…from 2007-11, played in the Minors with the Brewers, Athletics, Cubs, Yankees, Padres and Dodgers organizations…also played for the Edmonton Capitals of the North American Baseball League in 2011…PERSONAL: Full name is Jeffrey Darrin Closser…attended Alexandria-Monroe HS (Ind.)…he and his wife, Holley, have two daughters, Isabelle and Callie McKenna.
MICHAEL BECKER - TRAINER
BORN: 12/16/88 in Bennington, Vt. • RESIDES: Bennington, Vt.
Begins his third season in the Yankees organizations as a trainer after serving in the role with Charleston in 2013 and Staten Island in 2012… previously worked as an athletic training student intern at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre during the 2010 season…graduated from Ithaca College with a B.S. in athletic training in 2011 and has served as an athletic training intern with various institutions over the last two years including Cornell University, Ithaca College and Siena College.
JOE SIARA - STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH
BORN: 4/17/84 in Tampa, Fla. • RESIDES: Tampa, Fla.
Enters his second season as a strength and conditioning coach in the Yankees organization after spending his first season with the short season Staten Island Yankees…graduated in 2006 from Indiana University with a degree in kinesiology and exercise science…in 2008, received a master's degree in human performance from the University of Florida…also works as a personal trainer in the Tampa area.
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