Minor league coaching staff news: Montoyo returns to Durham

UPDATE, 4:23: Here’s what the staff looks like:

Durham, Triple-A: Charlie Montoyo, manager; Dave Myers, Xavier Hernandez coaches

Montgomery, Double-A: Billy Gardner Jr, manager; Ozzie Timmons, Bill Moloney* coaches

Charlotte, Class A: Jim Morrison, manager; Joe Szekely, Neil Allen* coaches

Bowling Green, Class A: Brady Williams*, manager; RC Lichtenstein, Manny Castillo* coaches

Hudson Valley, Class A: Jared Sandberg*, manager; Jack Giese#, Renaldo Ruiz* coaches

Princeton, rookie: Michael Johns*, manager; Marty DeMerrit, Wuarnner Rincones* coaches

GCL, rookie: Joe Alvarez, manager; Darwin Peguero, Dan DeMent*, Hector Torres* coaches

Coordinators: Jim Hoff, Bill Evers*, field; Dick Bosman, Dewey Robinson#, pitching; Steve Livesey, Matt Quatraro*, hitting; Jamie Nelson, catching; Skeeter Barnes, outfield/baserunning.

* – new assignment,  # – new to organization

UPDATE, 4:03: Triple-A Durham completes the field, announcing that minor-league manager of the year Charlie Montoyo will be back, along with his staff of Dave Myers and Xavier Hernandez. Rodger Fleming will be the trainer.

“We couldn’t be happier,” Durham GM Mike Birling said. “All these guys have done since joining us is win. but more importantly they understand the importance of the Bulls efforts in the community and our incredible fans.”

Montoyo returns for his fourth season having won three division titles and leading the Bulls last season to the International League and overall Triple-A championships. “It feels great to be coming back to one of the best franchises in minor-league baseball,” Montoyo said. “I’m very fortunate to get to work with such wonderful people and lead this team in front of these tremendous fans.”

DEVELOPING: The Rays minor-league coaching staff assignments are coming out, and the first to hit the send button were the Class A Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Manager Jim Morrison and hitting coach Joe Szekely are returning, and will be joined by pitching coach Neil Allen, the former big-leaguer who had been at Double-A Montgomery the past three seasons. Chris Tomashoff will return as trainer.

The Double-A Biscuits were next, and they have Billy Gardner Jr. returning for his fourth season as manager. Ozzie Timmons is returning as hitting coach, and the pitching coach will be Bill Moloney, who was at Charlotte last year. Lee Slage returns as trainer.

Class A Bowling Green will be managed by Brady Williams, who moves up from Hudson Valley to replace Matt Quatraro, who took a coordinator’s position.  RC Lichtenstein returns as pitching coach, while Manny Castillo, who also was at Hudson Valley last year, will be the coach. Scott Thurston will be the trainer.

Adding rookie-level Princeton to the list, Michael Johns, who had been a coach at Hudson Valley, gets his  first managing assignment, joined by pitching coach Marty DeMerrit, coach Wuarnner Rincones (who had managed in the Venezuelan Summer League) and trainer Nick Medina.

Former Rays 3B Jared Sandberg moves up a notch from managing Princeton to Hudson Valley, and will be joined by new pitching coach Jack Giese, who joined the Rays from Howard College, and coach Renaldo Ruiz, who moves up from the Gulf Coast League team. Andrew Hauser will be the trainer.

Joe Alvarez returns to manager the Gulf Coast League team, with Darwin Peguero as pitching coach and Dan DeMent and Hector Torres as coaches. Jorge Vargas will be the trainer.