Pelfrey named new Flying Squirrels manager

RICHMOND, Va. – Dennis Pelfrey has been named the new manager of the Richmond Flying Squirrels for the 2022 season, the San Francisco Giants announced on Thursday.

Pelfrey comes to Richmond after managing the Eugene Emeralds, the Giants’ High-A affiliate, to a league championship in 2021. He will be joined on his field staff this year by pitching coach Paul Oseguera, hitting coach Danny Santin, fundamentals coach Gary Davenport, athletic trainer Chris Walsh and strength & conditioning coach Matt Jordan.

With Pelfrey at the helm, the Emeralds went 69-50 during the inaugural regular season of the High-A West, the club’s first year as an affiliate of the Giants. The Emeralds defeated the Spokane Indians in the High-A West Championship Series, three-games-to-one, closing out the title with a 5-0 shutout in Game 4.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to come to Richmond and bring a championship to one of the best cities in the country,” Pelfrey said. “From what I’ve heard, Richmond has the best fans in baseball and a fantastic front office, which is going to make this a great summer with some of the best Giants prospects.”

Prior to joining the Giants organization, Pelfrey spent five seasons as the manager for the Florence Freedom of the independent Frontier League from 2015-2019. Under his direction, the Freedom reached the postseason three times and advanced to the Frontier League Championship Series twice.

He was hired to manage the then-High-A San Jose Giants in 2020 before the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to beginning his managerial career, Pelfrey was a coach for the independent Gary SouthShore Railcats of the independent American Association from 2011-2014.

Primarily an infielder during his professional playing career from 1999-2004, Pelfrey spent six seasons in the Frontier League, Texas-Louisiana League and Central League.

Pelfrey, 44, is a native of Arlington, Texas, and played collegiately at Northwood University.

Oseguera joins the Flying Squirrels for his first season in Richmond and his second coaching in the Giants system. He spent the 2021 campaign as the pitching coach for the Low-A West-champion San Jose Giants. Under his direction, San Jose’s pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.59) and strikeouts (1,439).

As a player, Oseguera was selected in the 16th round of the 2006 MLB Draft by the Giants out of UCLA. A native of La Jolla, Calif., he spent four seasons in the Giants system from 2006-2009, reaching as high as Double-A Connecticut. He spent part of 2010 with the Oakland Athletics organization. After three seasons with the independent Bridgeport Bluefish from 2010-2012, he played internationally in Mexico and Japan from 2013-2016.

Santin also heads to Richmond for his first year with the Flying Squirrels and his second with the Giants. Last year, he was the hitting coach for San Jose during their league title run.

Prior to joining the Giants, Santin served two years in the Milwaukee Brewers organization as Assistant Hitting Coordinator in 2020 and hitting coach for the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers in 2019. He spent five seasons with the Miami Marlins system as hitting coach in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League from 2014-2017 and in the same role with High-A Jupiter in 2018.

After being drafted in the 23rd round in 2003 as a catcher, Santin played four seasons with the Seattle Mariners organization, reaching Triple-A in 2007. Santin is a native of Miami, Fla.

Davenport returns to Richmond for his third season with the Flying Squirrels and his 19th year with the Giants organization. He also served as the Flying Squirrels’ fundamentals coach in 2018 and 2021. Davenport joined the Giants organization as a roving instructor in 2004 before spending 2005 as San Jose’s hitting coach. From 2006-2007, he was the hitting coach for the Connecticut Defenders, which was the Giants’ Double-A outfit in the Eastern League at the time. He returned to San Jose for five seasons from 2008-2012 before managing the short-season Salem-Keizer Volcanoes from 2013-2014 followed by three years as a roving instructor from 2015-2017. He spent the 2019 campaign as the fundamentals coach for San Jose.

Drafted by the Giants in the 27th round in 1981 out of Santa Clara University, Davenport played parts of three professional seasons in the San Francisco organization. He has also worked instructing baseball overseas in South Africa and Italy.

Walsh heads to Richmond for his first season with the Giants organization. He was an athletic trainer with the St. Louis Cardinals organization for the previous five seasons and also worked with the Aguilas Cibaenas of the Dominican Winter League. Prior to working in baseball, Walsh spent time as a trainer in professional hockey and as a medical coordinator Pan American Games.

Jordan, a former collegiate pitcher at Manhattan College, is entering his fourth season with the Giants and his first in Richmond. He was the strength & conditioning coach for the DSL Giants in 2019 and spent 2021 with the Eugene Emeralds. Prior to joining the Giants organization, Jordan developed athletes at the Florida Athletic Development Center in Naples, Fla.

The Flying Squirrels open the 2022 season on Friday, April 8 at Bowie. Opening night presented by Chick-fil-A at The Diamond will be Tuesday, April 12 as the Flying Squirrels host the Altoona Curve. The full 2022 schedule is available here. For more information, visit SquirrelsBaseball.com.