On Wednesday, the Chicago White Sox announced their new Player Development Staff for the upcoming season. Many familiar names return to the organization in 2021, though the discontinuing of the Great Falls team required some shuffling of people and positions. Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the announcement is the promotion of Chris Getz, who is now listed as Assistant General Manager/Player Development, as opposed to Director of Player Development. This would indicate Getz is on the fast track to a General Manager position.
Below is a full listing of the new Development Staff, compared to last year’s group. New additions to the organization are underlined.
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT STAFF
- Assistant General Manager/Player Development: Chris Getz
- Senior Director of Minor League Operations: Grace Guerrero Zwit
- Assistant Director, Player Development: Kenny Williams Jr.
- Assistant Director, Baseball Operations: Graham Harboe
- Assistant Director, Baseball Operations: Rod Larson
- Senior Biomechanical Engineer: Ben Hansen
- Coordinator, Baseball Information: Devin Pickett
- Analyst, Player Development: Zach Jones
- Assistant, Player Development: Diego Francisco
- Rehab Pitching Coach: Donnie Veal
- Education Coordinator: Erin Santana
- Assistant, Player Development/Latin Education: Grant Flick
Most names on this list are returning candidates, though the organization no longer listed Rafael Santana, Tommy Thompson and Steve McCatty as opposed to last year. Rod Larson and Graham Harboe saw their job title change from Manager of Player Development to Assistant Director of Baseball Operations. Kenny Williams Jr. was appointed Assistant Director of Player Development. Devin Pickett moved from Quality Control to Coordinator of Baseball Information and Zach Jones left Quality Control for Player Development Analyst. Steve McCatty is replaced by former big leaguer Donnie Veal as Rehab Pitching Coach.
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTORS/ROVERS
- Field Coordinator/Outfield and Baserunning: Doug Sisson
- Pitching Coordinator: Everett Teaford
- Assistant Pitching Coordinator: J.R. Perdew
- Hitting Advisor to Player Development: Andy Barkett
- Assistant Hitting Coordinator: Ryan Johansen
- Catching Coordinator: John Orton
- Director of Performance: Goldy Simmons
- Advisor to Performance: Dale Torborg
Everett Teaford and Ryan Johansen were already part of the organization dating back a few seasons, and they will return in the same roles they officially held last year. J.R. Perdew will once again be Teaford’s right hand in the pitching department. Ben Broussard, last year’s Hitting Coordinator, will not return. The club announced that the former Major League slugger is leaving the organization to spend more time with his family. The White Sox press release did not mention a new Hitting Coordinator, and mentioned just Ryan Johansen as the assistant. Andy Barkett is the new Hitting Advisor. James Fegan of The Athletic noted that Barkett will take on an advanced role in the organization however. He has previous relationships with Tony La Russa from Boston and Frank Menechino in Florida. In his new role, he’ll be tasked with getting upper level hitting prospects ready for the major leagues. Goldy Simmons’ job title changed from Performance Coordinator to Director of Performance, with Dale Torborg assuming an advisory role.
MEDICAL STAFF
- Medical Coordinator: Scott Takao
- Physical Therapist: Brooks Klein
- Sports Psychologist: Dr. Rob Seifer
Dr. Rob Seifer is the only new name on the medical block, as last year’s organizational listing did not mention a Sports Psychologist.
ARIZONA OPERATIONS
- Facility Manager: Joe Lachcik
- Minor League Clubhouse and Equipment Manager: Dan Flood
- Assistant Minor League Clubhouse Manager: Bryant Biasotti
The Arizona side op operations is unchanged from last year, with the same three names returning in the same positions. Grant Flick was moved from this block to the general player development block of the press release, fulfilling the same role as last year.
CLASS AAA CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS
- Manager: Wes Helms
- Pitching Coach: Matt Zaleski
- Hitting Coach: Chris Johnson
- Trainer: Cory Barton
- Performance Coach: Shawn Powell
Just two changes with the Charlotte staff in 2021. Mike Daniel was moved from his coaching position with the Knights to Winston-Salem, where he will assume the role of Hitting Coach for the Dash. Charlotte Hitting Coach Howie Clark was promoted to Assistant Hitting Coach for the White Sox, and he is replaced by former Atlanta Braves third baseman Chris Johnson. Everyone else returned in the same role as last season.
CLASS AA BIRMINGHAM BARONS
- Manager: Justin Jirschele
- Pitching Coach: Richard Dotson
- Hitting Coach: Cam Seitzer
- Trainer: Hyeon Kim
- Performance Coach: George Timke
Manager Justin Jirschele returns to the Barons, hoping to finally get his first minor league season as AA manager under his belt. Richard Dotson and Hyeon Kim also return as Pitching Coach and Trainer, respectively, while Cam Seitzer replaces Charlie Romero as the Hitting Coach for the Barons. Seitzer, last year assigned as the Hitting Coach for the now-defunct Great Falls Voyagers, stays with the organization. Romero will be Kannapolis’ Hitting Coach for the 2021 season, replacing the departed Cole Amstrong. George Timke moves from WInston-Salem to Birmingham as Performance Coach.
CLASS A WINSTON-SALEM DASH
- Manager: Ryan Newman
- Pitching Coach: Danny Farquhar
- Hitting Coach: Mike Daniel
- Trainer: Carson Wooten
- Performance Coach: Tim Rodmaker
At Winston-Salem, the only two new faces are the aforementioned Mike Daniel, and Performance Coach Tim Rodmaker, who replaces Timke. The rest of the staff remains intact.
CLASS A KANNAPOLIS CANNON BALLERS
- Manager: Guillermo Quiroz
- Bench Coach: Patrick Leyland
- Pitching Coach: John Ely
- Hitting Coach: Charlie Romero
- Trainer: Jeremy Kneebusch
- Performance Coach: Kevin Childs
Guillermo Quiroz gets a second attempt at his first season in the White Sox organization as manager of the Cannon Ballers, as their season was (naturally) also wiped out in 2020. Quiroz will have Patrick Leyland, son of legendary manager Jim Leyland, as his bench coach. John Ely moved from Great Falls to Kannapolis to replace Jose Bautista, who appears to have left the organization, as the pitching coach. Charlie Romero replaced Cole Armstrong as the Hitting Coach in Kannapolis, as Armstrong accepted a position as head coach of the West Coast League expansion Kamloops NorthPaws. Jeremy Kneebusch replaces longtime org-trainer Joe Geck.
ARIZONA ROOKIE LEAGUE WHITE SOX
- Manager: Ever Magallanes
- Bench Coach: Mike Gellinger
- Pitching Coach: Drew Hasler
- Hitting Coach: Devin DeYoung
- Trainer: Scott Johnson
- Performance Coach/Rehab: Daniel Cobian
Mike Gellinger, hired as the manager for the now-defunct Great Falls Voyagers in 2020, moved to the Arizona Rookie League and will be Ever Magallanes’ bench coach. Devin DeYoung is the new Hitting Coach, replacing Gary Ward, who appears to have left the organization. Devin DeYoung has been instrumental in helping some of the young hitters in the organization. DeYoung helped in developing off-season plans for hitters in the system and played a role in establishing the hitting lab in Arizona. He’s an analytically inclined and data oriented teacher who understands how to get information to players.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ACADEMY | DSL WHITE SOX
- Academy Supervisor: Louis Silverio
- Field Coordinator: Julio Bruno
- Assistant Field Coordinator; Infield: Guillermo Reyes
- Office Manager: Carolina Santos
- Complex Operations Coordinator: Manuel Santana
- Manager; Catching Coordinator: Ángel Rosario
- Pitching Coach: Leo Hernández
- Assistant Pitching Coach: José Brito
- Hitting Coach: Gerardo Olivares
- Assistant Hitting Coach: Angel González
- Trainer: Sergio Marte
- Performance Coach: Jonathan Hasbun
Former field coordinator Guillermo Reyes will be Assistant Infield Coordinator in 2021, as Julio Bruno takes over his position as Field Coordinator. Julio Ramirez and his position of Outfield Coach will not return in 2021.
Photo credit: Clinton Cole/FutureSox
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What does a biomechanical engineer on staff do for the club?
Hi Justin, if you want to know more about the role of biomechanical engineer, I can recommend this article by James Fox. He goes in-depth with Ben Hansen himself about it.
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