Coaching Staff

B/T: Right / Right

Born: May 10, 1986 in Bellevue, WA

Season with Gwinnett: 3rd (Since 2021)

Season with Braves Organization: 5th (Since 2019)

Managerial Season: 4th (Since 2019)

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his third season as manager of the Stripers in 2023 ... Holds a 140-137 (.505) record in two seasons with the club ... Named the seventh manager in Gwinnett history on 3/30/21, making him the first former Gwinnett player to manage the club (played OF/1B from 2016-17) ... Is one of four managers in Gwinnett history to surpass the 100-win mark, joining Dave Brundage (293 from 2009-12), Brian Snitker (161 from 2014-16), and Damon Berryhill (221 from 2017-19).
• In 2022: Went 69-79 (.466) for a eighth-place finish in the International League West Division in his second season with Gwinnett ... Served as the third base coach for the National League team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on 7/17 at Dodger Stadium ... Following the season, managed the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League.
• In 2021: Guided the Stripers to a 71-58 record (.550) and a third-place finish in the Triple-A East Southeast Division ... On 5/4 at Charlotte, officially became the youngest manager in Gwinnett history (34 years, 11 months, 25 days), surpassing Dave Brundage (44 years, 6 months, 4 days on 4/9/09 at Charlotte) ... From 7/8-9/21, his Stripers owned the best record in Triple-A Baseball, going 45-19 (.703) in 64 games.
• In 2020: Was set to manage Class-A Rome for a second straight year, but the season was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic in March ... Assigned to the coaching staff for the Atlanta Braves Alternate Training Site at Coolray Field.
• In 2019: Made his coaching and managerial debut with Class-A Rome, earning Atlanta’s Bobby Cox Award for the top manager in the Braves minor league system ... Led the R-Braves to a 65-74 record (.468) and a fifth-place finish in the South Atlantic League Southern Division.
• Playing Career: Selected by Seattle in the third round (93rd overall) out of Woodinville High School (WA) in 2004, he went on to play 14 professional seasons in the Mariners (2004-11), New York Mets (2012), Detroit Tigers (2013), Toronto Blue Jays (2014), Chicago White Sox (2014-15), and Atlanta Braves (2016-17) organizations ... Spent one season with New Britain of the independent Atlantic League in 2018.
• With Gwinnett: As a member of the G-Braves from 2016-17, batted .221 with 27 doubles, one triple, 19 home runs, 84 runs, and 73 RBI in 178 games ... Was a member of Gwinnett’s IL South Division championship club in 2016 and played in three playoff games (.000, 0-for-11, 2 R) ... Made the lone pitching appearance of his career on 7/20/17 vs. Indianapolis (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO) ... Earned the G-Braves’ Community Service Award for 2017.
• MLB Career: Played 155 games over five seasons with Seattle (2008-10), Detroit (2013), and Atlanta (2016), batting .206 with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs ... Debuted with the Mariners on 9/5/08 vs. the New York Yankees and notched his first MLB hit (double off Andy Pettitte) ... Hit his first MLB home run on 9/27/09 at Toronto (solo, off Brian Tallet) ... Had a career-high five RBI with Detroit on 4/26/13 vs. Atlanta (2-for-4, 3-run HR off Anthony Varvaro).
• MiLB Accolades: Midwest League Midseason and Postseason All-Star (2005) ... Southern League Midseason All-Star (2007) ... Arizona Fall League Player of the Week (11/5/07) ... Baseball America Triple-A All-Star (2008).

More stats/info at Tuiasosopo's MLB.com Bio Page

B/T: Left / Left

Born: February 14, 1969 in Tucson, AZ

Season with Gwinnett: 1st (Since 2023)

Season with Braves Organization: 1st (Since 2023)

Coaching Season: 24th (Since 1999)

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his first season with the Stripers and the Braves organization in 2023 ... Named the seventh pitching coach in Gwinnett history on February 17, 2023 ... It is his first stint as a coach at the Triple-A level and his first time coaching in the minors since 2011.
• In 2022: Named the New York Mets bullpen coach on 1/21 ... Served one season in the role, helping the Mets finish third in the National League in team ERA (3.57) and reach the MLB Postseason for the first time since 2016.
• 2018-20 with Boston: Served as the bullpen coach for the Red Sox ... 2018: Was a part of the World Series championship club, helping Boston relievers post a 1.40 ERA (4 ER in 25.2 IP) in the Fall Classic ... It was the fourth-lowest bullpen ERA in World Series history (min. 20.0 IP) ... 2019: Was a member of the American League All-Star coaching staff.
• 2012-17 with Houston: Spent five total seasons over two stints (2012, 2014-17) as the Astros’ bullpen coach and one season as Houston’s Minor League Pitching Coordinator (2013) ... From 2014-17, Astros relievers led MLB with a 3.17 SO/BB ratio and ranked second with a 9.62 SO/9.0 IP ratio ... 2017: Was a member of the World Series championship club.
• MiLB Coaching Career: Spent 13 seasons (1999-2011) as a pitching coach in the Montreal/Washington, Kansas City, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Colorado Rockies systems.
• Winter League: Also served as a pitching coach for Occidente Pastora de los Llanos of the Venezuelan Winter League for four seasons (2000-03).
• Playing Career: Signed by the Houston Astros as a non-drafted free agent in 1991 out of Nicholls State University (Thibodeau, LA) ... Logged three seasons in the Astros’ system, going 9-18 with a 3.82 ERA and 3 saves in 81G (27 starts) from 1991-93.
• Misc: Attended Arizona Western Junior College (Yuma, AZ) before transferring to Nicholls State ... Attended Tucson High School and was a part of the 1987 Arizona State Championship team.

B/T: Right / Right

Born: June 18, 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela

Season with Gwinnett: 3rd (Since 2021)

Season with Braves Organization: 16th (Since 2008)

Coaching Season: 16th (Since 2008)

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his third season with the Stripers in 2023 ... Named the fifth hitting coach in Gwinnett history on 1/31/20.
• In 2021: In his Triple-A coaching debut, his Stripers offense finished sixth in the Triple-A East in home runs (164), the second-most ever by an Atlanta Triple-A affiliate (trailing the 2019 club’s record 200 homers).
• In 2020: With the MiLB season canceled, served as a hitting coach at the Atlanta Braves Alternate Training Site in Gwinnett.
• In 2019: In his second season with Double-A Mississippi, oversaw the development of 20-year-old outfielders Cristian Pache and Drew Waters, the top two Braves prospects according to MLB.com at season’s end ... Under his guidance, Pache earned Southern League Postseason All-Star honors, while Waters won the Southern League batting title (.319) and became the first M-Braves player ever to win league MVP.
• Coaching Career: Has spent his entire coaching career in the Atlanta system, serving as a hitting coach with eight different clubs across five levels including rookie-level Danville (2008-10, 2014), Class-A Rome (2011-12), rookie-level GCL Braves (2013), Advanced-A Lynchburg (2014), Advanced-A Carolina (2015-16), Advanced-A Florida (2017), Double-A Mississippi (2018-19), and Triple-A Gwinnett (2021-current).
• Professional Career: Signed as a non-drafted free agent by Kansas City in 1991, he batted .296 in 1,423 minor league games across 16 seasons as a first baseman and designated hitter with the Royals, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and Braves organizations.
• With Richmond: Spent his last three seasons (2005-07) playing for Gwinnett’s predecessor, the Richmond Braves ... In 2006, was selected as an International League Midseason All-Star after batting .304 (11 2B, 3 HR, 17 R, 37 RBI) in 66 first-half games ... Was part of Richmond’s Governors Cup championship club in 2007, hitting .226 (1 2B, 1 HR, 1 R, 4 RBI) in nine playoff games ... Blasted a solo homer in the title-clinching game on 9/15 vs. Durham (2-for-4, 2 RBI).
• MLB Career: Made his Major League debut with Baltimore in 2003 and played 26 games over parts of four months with the Orioles, batting .222.

More stats/info at Mendez's MLB.com Bio Page

B/T: Right / Right

Born: September 17, 1991 in Santurce, Puerto Rico

Season with Gwinnett: 3rd (Since 2021)

Season with Braves Organization: 6th (Since 2018)

Coaching Season: 6th (Since 2018)

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his third season with Gwinnett in 2023 ... Made his Triple-A coaching debut with the Stripers in 2021.
• Coaching Career: After retiring as a player, began his coaching career with the Gulf Coast League Braves in 2018 ... Joined Class-A Rome in 2019 ... Was set to return to Rome in 2020 before the MiLB season was cancelled ... Was on the coaching staff for the Braves Instructional League in October 2020 at Coolray Field.
• Professional Career: Selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 20th round of the 2014 June draft out of Lubbock Christian University (Lubbock, TX) ... Over four seasons from 2014-17, hit .192 with 19 doubles, six home runs, 31 runs, 50 RBI, and three stolen bases in 150 games ... Defensively, played catcher (.989 fielding percentage, 35.5% caught stealing percentage in 32 games), first base (.984 fielding percentage in 58 games), and third base (.000 fielding percentage in 3 games) ... Reached as high as Advanced-A Florida in 2017.
• In the Postseason: Was a member of Rome’s South Atlantic League championship club in 2016, but did not play in the Postseason ... Only playoff experience came with Rookie-level Danville in 2014 (.000, 0-for-1 in 2 games).
• Winter Leagues: In 2014-15, played for Santurce of the Puerto Rican Winter League (.222, 1 RBI in 5 games) ... In 2016, played for Melbourne of the Australian Baseball League (.162, 2 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI in 11 games).

B/T: Switch / Right

Born: January 11, 1992 in Roswell, GA

Season with Gwinnett: 1st (Since 2023)

Season with Braves Organization: 1st (Since 2023)

Coaching Season: 1st (Since 2023)

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his first season with Gwinnett and the Atlanta Braves organization in 2023 ... Is set to make his professional coaching debut.
• In 2022: Played for two independent clubs in his final season as a player, the Chicago Dogs of the American Association and Guadalajara of the Mexican League.
• Professional Career: Selected by Baltimore in the eighth round of the 2014 June draft out of Clemson University (Clemson, SC) ... Re-signed as a minor league free agent on 10/29/20 ... Played seven total seasons in the Orioles system from 2014-21 ... Between MiLB and MLB, played every position except catcher ... 2017: Ranked fifth in the Orioles’ system in batting at .305 (122-for-400, 23 2B, 8 HR, 63 R, 45 RBI, 7 SB) in 112 games between High-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie ... 2020: Missed the shortened season after suffering a phalanx fracture in his left finger during a Summer Camp game on 7/19.
• MLB Career: Played parts of three seasons with Baltimore (2018-19, 2021), batting .210 with 10 homers and 40 RBI in 166 games ... Also pitched five times in relief (0-0, 7.11 ERA, 1 SV, .296 BAA, 1 SO) ... 6/20/18 at WAS: Debuted as a defensive substitution at third base (0-for-1) ... 6/22/18 at ATL: Recorded his first MLB hit and RBI with a pinch-hit single off Sam Freeman in the ninth inning ... 4/24/19 vs. CWS: Hit his first big-league homer (solo off RHP Ervin Santana) ... 7/25/19 at LAA: In his third career pitching appearance, became the first-ever position player in MLB history to record a save (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R in 10-8 win in 16 innings), the ball and his hat from the game are on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY ... 9/29/19 at BOS: Earned the MLB Play of the Week award following a leaping catch over the wall in right field at Fenway Park ... The catch was runner-up for MLB Network’s “Catch of the Year.”
• Triple-A Career: Was a member of the Norfolk Tides from 2018-19 and again in 2021 ... In 72 games for his career, hit .270 (70-for-259, 11 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 43 R, 30 RBI, 3 SB).
• MiLB Postseason Career: Was on a playoff roster just once, 2017 with Double-A Bowie ... Played in three games (.000, 0-for-10, 1 BB).
• Accolades: South Atlantic League Midseason All-Star (2015) ... MiLB.com Baltimore Orioles Organization All-Star (2015, 2017) ... Arizona Fall League All-Prospect Team (2017) ... MLB Play of the Week (9/29/19).
• Amateur: Spent four seasons at Clemson (2011-14), batting .291 (216-for-742, 47 2B, 6 3B, 11 HR, 131 R, 115 RBI, 29 SB) in 216 games ... Played for Hyannis in the Cape Cod League from 2012-13.
  Misc: Attended Pope High School in Marietta, GA, approximately 40 miles west of Coolray Field ... Pope also produced former Gwinnett outfielder Brandon Boggs (2013-14) and brothers Josh Lowe (Tampa Bay Rays) and Nathaniel Lowe (Texas Rangers).

More stats/info at Stevie's MLB.com Bio Page

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his first season as Gwinnett’s athletic trainer and third season in the Atlanta Braves organization in 2023 ... Served as the athletic trainer for Double-A Mississippi for two seasons (2021-22).
• Career: Has worked for five different Major League organizations in all, including the Arizona Diamondbacks (2013), Tampa Bay Rays (2015), Toronto Blue Jays (2016-18), San Diego Padres (2019), and Braves (2021-current) ... Served as the athletic trainer for Short-A Vancouver (2016-17) and High-A Dunedin (2018) in the Blue Jays system, and Triple-A El Paso (2019) in the Padres system.
• Personal: Earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Grand Valley State University in 2013 ... Received his master’s degree in health and physical education from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2015.

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his second season as Gwinnett’s assistant athletic trainer in 2023, his second year with the Atlanta Braves organization.
• Career: Served as the athletic trainer for the baseball and men’s golf programs at the University of Louisville (2019-20) and the athletic trainer for baseball at the University of Memphis (2021) ... Got his start in professional baseball in 2014 as an intern with the St. Paul Saints and spent 2015 as a spring training intern with the Toronto Blue Jays.
• Personal: Received his master’s degree in athletic training from the University of Idaho, where he worked closely with the University of Minnesota and Stanford University sports medicine staffs ... Resides in his hometown of Milwaukee, WI.

Bio:

• Overview: Enters his first season as Gwinnett’s strength and conditioning coach and third season in the Atlanta Braves organization in 2023.
• Career: Has previously served as the strength and conditioning coach with High-A Rome (2021) and Double-A Mississippi (2022) ... In 2022, earned the Braves’ Bobby Cox Award for Minor League Staff Member of the Year (first time since award was expanded to recognize staff beyond managers).
• Personal: Played collegiate baseball for four years as an outfielder for the University of British Columbia ... Returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistnat coach and strength and conditioning coach before joining the Braves in 2021.