Pirates announce 2013 minor league coaching staff

Friday, 04 January 2013 16:09

Written by Michael Sanserino

A new Class AAA hitting coach and a new Class AA manager highlight a handful of changes the Pirates announced Friday to their minor league coaching staff.

Mike Pagliarulo, who had a 12-year major league career, replaces Jeff Branson as the hitting coach for the Class AAA Indianapolis Indians. Branson was promoted to assistant hitting coach for the Pirates.

Carlos Garcia, who spent two seasons managing the Class A Bradenton Marauders, has been promoted to manage the Class AA Altoona Curve. P.J. Forbes, who had managed the Curve for two seasons, left the organization in October.

The Pirates promoted Frank Kremblas to manage Bradenton. Kremblas previously served as special assistant to minor league operations and was manager of Indianapolis in 2009 and 2010. Michael Ryan replaces Rick Sofield as manager for Class A West Virginia. Sofield will serve as the Pirates’ first base coach next season. Ryan was a player/coach in the Pirates’ minor league system last year.

The Gulf Coast League Pirates will be managed by Milver Reyes, a player/coach last year, and one of the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League teams will have a new manager in Keoni De Renne, a player/coach for the GCL Pirates last year.

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Staff breakdown

INDIANAPOLIS (AAA) 
Manager: Dean Treanor 
Coach: Mike Pagliarulo 
Pitching Coach: Tom Filer 

ALTOONA (AA)
Manager: Carlos Garcia
Coach: Ryan Long
Pitching Coach: Stan Kyles

BRADENTON (A)
Manager: Frank Kremblas
Coach: Edgar Varela 
Pitching Coach: Justin Meccage 

WEST VIRGINIA (A)
Manager: Michael Ryan
Coach: Orlando Merced
Pitching Coach: Jeff Johnson

JAMESTOWN (A)
Manager: Dave Turgeon 
Coach: Kory DeHaan 
Pitching Coach: Mike Steele 

GCL PIRATES (Rookie)
Manager: Milver Reyes
Coach: Mike Lum
Pitching Coach: Miguel Bonilla

DOMINICAN (Rookie) 
Manager: Gera Alvarez 
Hitting Coach: Jonathan Prieto 
Pitching Coach: Dan Urbina 
Coach: Cecilio Beltre 

DOMINICAN (Rookie)
Manager: Keoni De Renne
Hitting Coach: Johe Acosta
Pitching Coach: Jairo Cuevas
Coach: TBA

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Earlier in the afternoon, the Pirates announced RHP Chad Beck, who was designated for assignment after the Pirates traded Joel Hanrahan, was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays. The Pirates claimed Beck after the Blue Jays placed him on waivers earlier in the offseason.