Yard Goats Announce All New Coaching Staff

Colorado Rockies Name Yard Goats
All New Coaching Staff for 2018
Former MLB First Baseman Lee Stevens named Hitting Coach and Mark Brewer named Pitching coach at Hartford   

Hartford, Conn- The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club, the Double-A Eastern League Affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, announced that the Rockies have named former Major League First Baseman Lee Stevens as Yard Goats Hitting Coach and also named Mark Brewer as Yard Goats Pitching Coach for the 2018 season. Both Stevens and Brewer join manager Warren Schaeffer making up an all new coaching staff this season. Schaeffer was named the third manager in Yard Goats history in November. Hoshito Mizutani will serve as Head Athletic Trainer.
Stevens joins the Yard Goats after spending last season at Rookie Level Grand Junction in the Pioneer League. This will be his sixth season as a coach in the Rockies organization as he was at Grand Junction from 2013 through 2015 and was Hitting Coach for Class-A Modesto in 2016. The former first round pick of the California Angels in 1986 played eight years in the Major Leagues with the Angels (1990-1992), Texas Rangers (1996-1999), Montreal Expos (2000-2002) and Cleveland Indians (2002). Stevens enjoyed his best season in the majors in 1997 when he batted .300 with 24 doubles, 21 home runs and 74 RBI in 137 games with the Rangers. That season also began a stretch of five consecutive 20 plus home run seasons for the Kansas City, Missouri native. Stevens set career highs with 77 runs scored, 35 doubles, 25 home runs, and 95 RBI in 2001 with the Expos.  
Brewer joins the Yard Goats after spending last season at Triple-A Albuquerque where he served as the Isotopes Pitching Coach in the Pacific Coast League. This will be his fifth season as a coach in the Rockies organization as he was the Pitching Coach for the Asheville Tourists from 2014 through 2016. Asheville, won the 2014 South Atlantic League Championship with a team ERA of 3.75. Brewer was also a pitching coach in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets chains and served as the Dodgers' Minor League Pitching Coordinator form 2001 through 2004. He worked in the Eastern League in 2006 and then again in 2011 at the Binghamton Mets Pitching Coach. Brewer was at Triple-A Buffalo as the Bisons Pitching Coach in 2012. He makes his home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.          
Schaeffer joins the Yard Goats after guiding the Asheville Tourists to a second place finish in the second half of the South Atlantic League last season. In 2016, he managed the Tourists to a 40-29 record in the second half, a playoff series win, and an appearance in the South Atlantic League Championship Series. The former infielder was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 38^th round of the 2007 MLB draft from Virginia Tech University.   The Vandergrift, Pennsylvania native played for six seasons (461 games) in the Rockies minor league system and reached Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2011.
The Yard Goats open the 2018 season on Thursday, April 5 at Dunkin' Donuts Park (7:05 PM) against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays affiliate). 2018 season tickets and hospitality options are now on sale by calling 860-246-GOAT (4628), by visiting online at www.yardgoatsbaseball.com, or in person at the Click It or Ticket Box Office at Dunkin' Donuts Park.