White Sox Player Development Staff changes for 2019

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Today the White Sox announced their 2019 Player Development Staff, which includes everyone from Director Chris Getz through the rovers and coordinators to the affiliate managers and coaching staffs. Most of the names are the same, though many have moved around and are new to their upcoming assignments. And there are a few additions to the crew.
As you will see with the affiliates, a predictable set of patterns is emerging with the managers and hitting coaches at every level except AAA.
Let’s start with the farm-wide assignments – names and roles that have changed since last season are bolded:

  • Director of Player Development: Chris Getz
  • Player Development Assistants: Rafael Santana, Tommy Thompson, Rod Larson, Graham Harboe
  • Field Coordinator: Doug Sisson
  • Director of Minor League Pitching Instruction: Kirk Champion
  • Assistant Pitching Coordinator: Everett Teaford
  • Assistant Pitching Coordinator: J.R. Perdew
  • Rehab Pitching Coach; Brian Drahman
  • Hitting Coordinator: Mike Gellinger
  • Hitting Analytics Instructor: Matt Lisle
  • Catching Coordinator: John Orton
  • Outfield/Baserunning Coordinator: Aaron Rowand
  • Leadership and Development Coordinator: Ben Broussard
  • Strength and Conditioning Coordinator: Dale Torborg
  • Medical Coordinator: Scott Takao
  • Physical Therapist/Rehab Coordinator: Derek Garris
  • Education Coordinator: Erin Santana
  • Latin/Cultural Development Coordinator: Anthony Santiago

Teaford was here last year, but his job title has changed from “Quality Control Coach” to “Assistant Pitching Coordinator”, reflecting his focus on the mound. This makes sense in context with the other name in bold above, Matt Lisle, who will fulfill a similar role on the batting side as the Hitting Analytics Instructor. GM Rick Hahn went into some detail about their roles in our recent interview with him.
Yale graduate Graham Harboe has been a scout (Rays, Nationals) and most recently was a “Development Coach” with the Dodgers. Rod Larson has worked as a minor league video coordinator for the White Sox.
Now to the affiliates…
CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS (AAA)

Grudz returns for another season managing the Knights, with McCatty in tow. Frank Menechino’s appointment and his joining the White Sox system (from the Marlins, where he’d served as H.C. for six seasons) was originally reported by Jon Heyman back in December. The 7-year major leaguer brings related experience from the minors and majors, now positioned to hone the skills of the waves of prospects soon destined for Chicago. Quiroz was an assistant coach with Winston-Salem last year, so he just makes the drive down I-85.
BIRMINGHAM BARONS (AA)

Here’s the headliner: Omar Vizquel moves up from the Dash to the Barons. His hitting coach, the venerable C-Poe, makes the same move with him. It isn’t just that the coaches and managers have a ladder to climb, though they do. The White Sox’ most peak wave of prospect talent was in Winston-Salem last year, and likely will spend much of 2019 in Birmingham this year. Those players showed a strong chemistry with their coaching staff, so the Sox are undoubtedly happy to keep the band together for at least one more year.
Former big leaguer Wes Helms comes over to the Barons after serving a similar Bench Coach role for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs in 2018.
WINSTON-SALEM DASH (A+)

  • Manager: Justin Jirschele
  • Pitching Coach: Matt Zaleski
  • Hitting Coach: Jamie Dismuke
  • Trainer: Hyeon Kim
  • Conditioning: George Timke

Jirschele and Dismuke make the move up from Kannapolis, furthering the theme of continuity with some of their prospect padawans. Jirschele joins Zaleski as young coaches not far removed from their playing days, and whose new careers are on the upswing. Hyeon Kim moves from Great Falls to Winston-Salem.
KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS (A)

  • Manager: Ryan Newman
  • Pitching Coach: Jose Bautista
  • Hitting Coach: Cole Armstrong
  • Coach: Ryan Johnson
  • Trainer: Joe Geck
  • Conditioning: Goldy Simmons

Again, managers and hitting coaches move up while the pitching side remains static. Newman has managed three other affiliates already, with the I’s being his fourth. Armstrong similarly has moved around the system as a manager and hitting coach, most recently the latter with the Barons as he cycles back down to start a new climb (Dismuke took exactly the same path a year ago).
GREAT FALLS VOYAGERS (Rk)

  • Manager: Tim Esmay
  • Pitching Coach: John Ely
  • Hitting Coach: Cameron Seitzer
  • Trainer: Carson Wooten
  • Conditioning: Tyler Gniadek

Esmay returns for another year leading the Voyagers. Cam Seitzer is a new addition to the White Sox minor league coaching staff, but he’s not new to the organization. He was a corner infield prospect for seven years, the last played with the Barons, before converting to pitching late that season and throwing in 2018. Now he’s back on the hitting side, but as a coach. Wooten is new to the Sox, and has worked as a trainer at the collegiate level, at Eastern New Mexico University.
AZL WHITE SOX (Rk)

Ever Magallanes moves up from his previous work at the DSL Academy to manage the typically younger complex-league rookie team. There he will likely lead a number of players he worked with in the DSL. And new to coaching is Louis Silverio, former White Sox outfield prospect who is just 25 years old and played in 2017 with the Winston-Salem Dash.
DOMINICAN ACADEMY – DSL (F-Rk)

  • Manager: Angel Rosario
  • Pitching Coach: Leo Hernandez
  • Assistant Pitching Coach: Jose Brito
  • Hitting Coach: Angel Gonzalez
  • Assistant Hitting Coach: Charlie Romero
  • Field Coordinator: Guillermo Reyes

Angel Rosario stays in Boca Chica but moves up role-wise from Catching Coach to Manager. With the team’s J2 money coming back to normal levels in 2019, the talent pipeline to a team that struggled to an atrocious 18-54 mark last year should improve.
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