Pelfrey returns as Flying Squirrels manager in 2023

RICHMOND, Va. – Dennis Pelfrey will return as the manager of the Richmond Flying Squirrels for the 2023 season, the team announced on Monday.

Pitching coach Paul Oseguera, athletic trainer Chris Walsh and strength & conditioning coach Matt Jordan are also returning from last year’s staff. Cory Elasik will be the team’s new hitting coach, and Lipso Nava, who was on the staff in 2017 and 2019, will be the fundamentals coach.

This season will be Pelfrey’s eighth as a manager in professional baseball and his third with the Giants organization. After leading the High-A Eugene Emeralds to a championship in 2021, he guided the Flying Squirrels to their first postseason appearance since 2014 last year.

“I’m extremely grateful to be asked back to manage the Richmond Flying Squirrels this season,” Pelfrey said. “There is no place like The Diamond in baseball. It’s truly a special place with a front office that is outstanding and a fan base that creates an electric atmosphere second to none in minor league baseball.”

Last season, the Flying Squirrels won the Eastern League Southwest Division First-Half title with a 40-29 record. As a manager, Pelfrey has led his teams to the playoffs in five of his seven seasons.

As a player, Pelfrey spent six seasons playing professionally in the Frontier, Texas-Louisiana and Central Leagues. He began his professional coaching career in 2011 with the Gary SouthShore RailCats in Indiana. He landed his first managerial position with the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League in 2015, leading the team to the postseason in four of his six seasons. He joined the Giants organization in 2020.

Oseguera returns for his second season with the Flying Squirrels. Last year, Richmond’s pitching staff set a franchise record with 1,367 strikeouts, the third-most for a team in Eastern League history. He previously served as the pitching coach for the Low-A San Jose Giants in 2021, helping lead the team to its league championship that year. As a player, Oseguera was selected in the 16^th round of the 2006 MLB Draft by the Giants out of UCLA and went on to pitch 11 professional seasons. He is a native of La Jolla, Calif.

“The coaching staff is going to be very dynamic this year with the return of Paul Oseguera for his second year as the pitching coach,” Pelfrey said. “He did a really good job for us last year, and I am excited to see how much more he can accomplish this season.”

Elasik joins the Flying Squirrels after serving as the hitting coach for Eugene in back-to-back championship seasons in 2021 and 2022. Before joining the Giants organization, Elasik was the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator for St. Johns River State College in Florida from 2015-2020. He resides in Orange Park, Fla.

“Cory Elasik has been a part of two championships over the last two seasons in Eugene,” Pelfrey said. “He’s an extremely well-prepared coach and will continue to get the best out of our hitters.”

Nava is back with the Flying Squirrels after managing the San Jose Giants in 2022. This year marks his 16^th season with the Giants organization and his third stint with the Flying Squirrels. He spent 2017 as Richmond’s hitting coach and was the team’s fundamentals coach in 2019. An infielder in his playing days, Nava’s 17-year professional career included stops in the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs organizations as well as time spent playing in independent leagues, Mexico, Venezuela and Taiwan. Nava is a native of Maracaibo, Venezuela and resides in Saint Cloud, Fla.

“Lipso Nava is no stranger to The Diamond or my staff,” Pelfrey said. “We have worked really well together, and I am looking forward to another good year with him on our staff. He brings a wealth of experience and always makes players better.”

Walsh returns for his second season as the Flying Squirrels’ athletic trainer. Prior to coming to Richmond last year, Walsh spent the previous five seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Prior to his work in professional baseball, Walsh was an athletic trainer for professional and amateur hockey teams. A native of Caledon, Ontario, Walsh currently resides in Hobe Sound, Fla.

“Chris Walsh was arguably the most important piece to our 2022 playoff appearance,” Pelfrey said. “He is one of the best athletic trainers in the game and keeps us on the field with his outstanding attention to the players and coaches.”

Jordan will serve his second season as the Flying Squirrels’ strength & conditioning coach and his fifth with the Giants organization. Prior to joining Richmond, Jordan served in the same role with the High-A Eugene Emeralds and in the Dominican Summer League. Jordan is a native of Kingston, N.Y.

“Matt Jordan has an exceptional view on how to keep our players at an optimal performance level,” Pelfrey said.

Additional staff members, all new additions for 2023, include associate analyst Nate Buchwald, video technology associate Dagin Renck, performance nutrition associate Rachel Rodriguez and clubhouse manager Johnny Quinn.

The Flying Squirrels open the 2023 season at The Diamond on Friday, April 7 against the Reading Fightin Phils, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Opening Night presented by Chick-fil-A is sold out; however, tickets for the other 68 home games on the Flying Squirrels' 2023 schedule are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.