FAN-FAVORITE “STUBBY” CLAPP TO MANAGE MEMPHIS REDBIRDS (AAA);
JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ TO MANAGE SPRINGFIELD (AA) & CHRIS SWAUGER TO PILOT PEORIA (A)
ST. LOUIS, Mo., November 30, 2016 – The St. Louis Cardinals today announced their Minor League coaching staffs and Player Development personnel for the upcoming 2017 season.
Former Cardinal and Memphis Redbirds fan-favorite Richard “Stubby” Clapp was named the new manager at Memphis (AAA), following the promotion earlier this month of Mike Shildt to the Cardinals Major League coaching staff. Clapp, whose uniform no. 10 was retired by Memphis in 2007, managed the Tri-City Valley Cats (A) in 2011 and 2012, advancing to the New York-Penn League Championship Series in 2012. Clapp served as Hitting Coach for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto-A) in 2015-16 and has both coached and played for several Team Canada entries in international play, including the Gold Medal-winning team in the 2011 Pan American Games.
Johnny Rodriguez, a member of the Cardinals minor league coaching staff since 2011, most recently as the manager at State College (A) in 2016, will take over as manager of the Springfield Cardinals (AA). Chris Swauger, who managed the Cardinals rookie-league Johnson City team the past two seasons, has been promoted to the managerial post for full-season Peoria (A).
The remainder of the Cardinals Minor League managerial positions will be filled by Dan Bilardello at Palm Beach (A), Joe Kruzel at State College (A),Roberto Espinoza at Johnson City, Steve Turco at Gulf Coast League Cardinals and Frey Peniche, who returns for a seventh season as the manager of the Cardinals Dominican Summer League team.
A complete listing of the Cardinals Minor League and Player Development Staffs for 2017 follows:
Manager | Pitching Coach | Hitting Coach | Trainer | Strength Coach | |
Memphis | Stubby Clapp | Bryan Eversgerd | Mark Budaska | Scott Ensell | Lance Thomason |
Springfield | Johnny Rodriguez | Jason Simontacchi | Jobel Jimenez | Matt Corvo | TBD |
Palm Beach | Dann Bilardello | Randy Niemann | Erick Almonte | Brent Neuharth | Aaron Rhodes |
Peoria | Chris Swauger | Dernier Orozco | Donnie Ecker | Dan Martin | Frank Spinelli |
State College | Joe Kruzel | Darwin Marrero | Roger LaFrancois | Chris Whitman | Jordan Brown |
Johnson City | Roberto Espinoza | Cale Johnson | Brandon Allen | Koji Kanemura | David Diaz |
Gulf Coast | Steve Turco | Giovanni Carrara | Cody Gabella | TBD | Dan Vega |
DSL | Frey Peniche | Billy Villanueva | John Matos | TBD | Carlos Nin |
2017 ST. LOUIS CARDINALS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTORS
Mark DeJohn Field Coordinator
Tim Leveque Senior Pitching Coordinator
George Greer Minor League Offensive Strategist
Ron Warner Minor League Infield Instructor
Paul Davis Assistant Pitching Coordinator
Luis Aguayo Coordinator of Instruction Latin America
Gaylen Pitts Special Assistant to Player Development
Willie McGee Special Assistant to the General Manager
David Meyer Rehab Coordinator
Keith Joynt Medical Coordinator for Player Development
Jim Malone Athletic Development Coordinator
Jason Shutt Performance Physical Therapist
Frank D’Aversa Assistant Minor League Rehab