Mickey Storey Returns as Space Cowboys Manager 

Astros Announce Entire Space Cowboys Coaching Staff

(SUGAR LAND, Texas) – The Houston Astros today announced the Sugar Land Space Cowboys 2023 coaching staff, with Mickey Storey returning for his third season as manager.

Joining Storey on the Space Cowboys coaching staff are pitching coach, Erick Abreu, hitting coach Aaron Westlake, development coach Wladimir Sutil, athletic trainer Brandon Zumbach and strength coach Zach Reding.

Storey enters his fourth season as the Astros Triple A manager and has been Sugar Land’s manager since the franchise’s move to Triple A from the independent ranks in 2021. He also managed the Astros’ Alternate Training site in Corpus Christi during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Storey has compiled a 148-130 as manager of the Space Cowboys and picked up his 300^th career managerial win during the 2022 campaign. He led the Space Cowboys to the East Division title of Triple A West in 2021.

During the offseason, Storey managed the Surprise Saguaros, leading them to an Arizona Fall League title.

Storey joined the Astros minor league coaching staff in 2017 as a development coach for High A Buies Creek. He’s also served as manager for Single A Quad Cities (2018) and Triple A Round Rock (2019). Prior to his coaching career, Storey appeared in the Major Leagues with the Astros (2012) and Toronto Blue Jays (2013) and had a nine-year professional career as a right-handed pitcher. He was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 31^st round of the 2008 MLB Draft from Florida Atlantic University. Storey finished his career at Florida Atlantic second in program history in strikeouts and tied for second in wins.

Abreu returns to Sugar Land for his third season, and third as the pitching coach for the Astros’ Triple A affiliate. Abreu has coached within the Astros organization since 2014, including stints with Single A Quad Cities, Short-Season Tri-City, Rookie League Greeneville, the Gulf Coast League Astros and the Dominican Summer League Astros. He also worked as the bullpen coach of the Estrellas de Oriente in 2018, as the team went on to win the Dominican Winter League Championship. Abreu owns 12 years of professional playing experience and reached up to the Triple A level within the Astros and New York Yankees minor league systems.

Westlake joins the Space Cowboys staff after working as the hitting coach for Double A Corpus Christi in 2022. He joined the Astros minor league coaching staff in 2021 as a development coach for the Astros’ Florida Complex League team. Westlake had a four-year professional playing career –appearing mostly as a first baseman – and reached up to the Double A level within the Detroit Tigers organization. The Tigers selected Westlake in the third round of the 2011 MLB Draft from Vanderbilt.

Sutil enters his second season as the Space Cowboys development coach. He’s coached or managed within the Astros system since 2014, most-recently with the organization’s Florida Complex League team in 2021. He managed Short-Season Tri-City in 2020 and the Gulf Coast League Astros from 2017-19. Sutil had a 10-year professional career as an infielder, including eight in the Astros minor league system, and reached up to the Triple A level.

Zumbach is set to begin his second season as the Space Cowboys head athletic trainer. He joined the Astros prior to the 2020 season and worked as the High A Asheville athletic trainer in 2021. Reding is set to begin his second season as the Space Cowboys strength coach. He’s worked within the Astros minor league system since 2018 and was the strength coach for High A Asheville prior to joining the Space Cowboys in 2021.