FORT WAYNE – The San Diego Padres announced the coaching staff for their Class A (Midwest League) affiliate, the Fort Wayne TinCaps, on Friday. The Padres have assigned Anthony Contreras to return to the TinCaps for his second season as the club’s manager and Burt Hooton is back for his fifth year as the team’s pitching coach. Four newcomers will join them in the dugout.

Doug Banks takes on the role of hitting coach and Jhonny Carvajal (pronounced: Johnny CAR-vuh-haul) is an additional coach. Allyse Kramer is on board as athletic trainer and Jay Young will serve as strength coach.

“We’re very excited to have Anthony Contreras and Burt Hooton return to Fort Wayne this year for what promises to be a very exciting TinCaps club,” said Sam Geaney, Padres Director of Player Development. “The remainder of our staff who is new to the city will soon discover what a special place Parkview Field is to call home.”

This marks the first time since José Valentín in 2012-2013 that the TinCaps will have the same manager for consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, Hooton is set to become the longest-serving coach in Fort Wayne’s 25-year franchise history.

“I couldn’t be more excited to return this season to Fort Wayne and lead a fresh, new team,” Contreras said. “The city, the fans, Parkview Field, and the extraordinary staff make Fort Wayne one of, if not the best, all-around atmospheres for Minor League Baseball, and I’m very fortunate to be part of it. This year’s team looks again to be very exciting and we can’t wait to bring winning baseball to Fort Wayne.”

ESPN.com recently ranked San Diego’s farm system No. 3 out of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams. (Here are the Top 30 Padres Prospects, per MLB.com.)

“We’re ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with Anthony and Burt again,” said TinCaps President Mike Nutter. “While we value their top-notch abilities as baseball coaches, what we appreciate even more is the caliber of their high character as people. We’ll miss the guys from last year’s staff who aren’t back and wish them the best, but also look forward to welcoming Doug, Jhonny, Allyse, and Jay into our TinCaps family.”

Tickets for group outings and 2017 season tickets are already on sale. Tickets for individual games will go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 15. The new season begins at Parkview Field on Saturday, April 8 (6:05 p.m.) against the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays). To learn more, call 260-482-6400 or visit TinCaps.com.

2017 TinCaps Field Staff
·         Manager: Anthony Contreras
·         Pitching Coach: Burt Hooton
·         Hitting Coach: Doug Banks
·         Coach: Jhonny Carvajal (pronounced: Johnny CAR-vuh-haul)
·         Athletic Trainer: Allyse Kramer
·         Strength Coach: Jay Young

More on the 2017 TinCaps Field Staff
·         Contreras: Last year became the first former Fort Wayne player to return to the team as manager… Played for the Wizards in 2008… An infielder, drafted by the San Francisco Giants out of San José State in 2005 (9th round)… Played in San Francisco’s organization from 2005-2007 and then in the San Diego Padres’ organization from 2008-13, reaching as high as Triple-A… Began coaching career in 2014 and became manager of the Rookie-Level Arizona League Padres… Managed the Short-Season A Tri-City Dust Devils to the Northwest League Finals in 2015… Under his direction last year, the TinCaps had five players selected for the Midwest League All-Star team, including catcher Austin Allen, who was also named a Post-Season All-Star as he set a franchise record for consecutive games with a hit (24)… Fort Wayne was 37-33 at Parkview Field… The team had 20 players promoted to higher levels of the Padres’ farm system during the course of the season

·         Hooton: Pitching Coach for the TinCaps since the 2013 season… This will be his 42nd year in professional baseball… Second overall pick of the 1971 Draft out of the University of Texas at Austin… Selected by the Chicago Cubs… Pitched for the Cubs (1971-75), Los Angeles Dodgers (1975-84), and Texas Rangers (1985)… National League All-Star, MVP of the National League Championship Series, and World Series champion in 1981… Threw a no-hitter for the Cubs against the Philadelphia Phillies in his fourth career start on April 16, 1972… Known for his knuckle curve pitch… After finishing playing career, completed degree at Texas, then began coaching career in 1988… Has coached at every level from Short-Season A through the big leagues… Pitching coach for the Houston Astros from 2000-04… Past pupils include Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Billy Wagner, Dallas Keuchel, and Joe Ross… Has been in uniform for more than 6,200 games across his career in MLB, MiLB, and NCAA

·         Banks: Hitting Coach for the Rookie-Level Arizona League Padres in 2016… Also an Amateur Scout for the Padres last year, covering Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah… Texas native… Played collegiately at the University of Arizona and Abilene Christian University (Texas)… Assisted the Texas Rangers’ major league staff in various roles from 2008-11… Amateur scout for the Rangers from 2012-15

·         Carvajal: Infield Coach for the Dominican Summer League Padres in 2016… Native of Venezuela… Played primarily second base, third base, and shortstop in Minor League Baseball from 1993-2003, reaching as high as Triple-A… Played for the Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Francisco Giants’ organizations… Also played professionally in Italy as recently as 2011

·          Kramer: Spent 2016 with San Diego’s Short-Season A affiliate, the Tri-City Dust Devils… California native… Earned bachelor’s degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego… Earned a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and worked on the Longhorns’ sports medicine staff

·          Young: Spent 2016 with San Diego’s Short-Season A affiliate, the Tri-City Dust Devils