Mariners notebook: Minor league staff assignments announced | Tacoma News Tribune

Jaime Navarro and Cory Snyder will return this season as coaches at Triple-A Tacoma, the Mariners announced Monday in revealing their 2015 minor league staff assignments.

The club previously announced Pat Listach will serve as the Rainiers’ manager. Listach spent the previous season as the Houston Astros’ third-base coach.

Listach replaces Roy Howell, who was reassigned to serve as a coach at Double-A Jackson.

Howell had been scheduled to fill that role the previous season before shifting to the Rainiers in spring training when Rich Donnelly was promoted to the big league staff to replace an ailing John Stearns as third-base coach.

Navarro, 47, is entering his seventh season in the Mariners’ organization and his second as Tacoma’s pitching coach. He pitched 12 seasons in the big leagues for four clubs from 1989-2000.

Snyder, 52, is in his fifth season with the Mariners and his second at Tacoma. He played nine years in the big leagues for five clubs from 1986-94.

The remainder of the Tacoma staff consists of trainers Tom Newberg and Tyler Moos and assistant performance coordinator Will Lindholm.

Newberg is entering his 29th season with the organization and his ninth at Tacoma. Moos and Lindholm are in their third and sixth years with the Mariners but their first with the Rainiers.

Long-time Tacoma manager Daren Brown, who also briefly managed the Mariners in 2010, remains with the organization as its bunting and baserunning coordinator.

The Mariners’ other minor-league staff assignments:

Double-A Jackson: manager James Horner, pitching coach Lance Painter, coach Roy Howell, trainer B.J. Downie and performance coach Derek Mendoza.

*Hi-A Bakersfield: manager Eddie Menchaca, pitching coach Andrew Lorraine, coach Max Venable, trainer Geoff Swanson and performance coach Aaron Reis.

*Lo-A Clinton: manager Scott Steinmann, pitching coach Cibney Bello, coach Mike Kinkade, trainer Matt Corvo and performance coach (to be announced).

*Short-A Everett: manager Rob Mummau, pitching coach Jason Blanton, coach Mike Davis, trainer Shane Zdebiak and performance coach (to be announced).

*Rookie Peoria: manager Darrin Gardner, pitching coach Rich Dorman, coaches Andy Bottin and James Lofton, trainer Randy Roetter, performance coach Scott Burgett, clubhouse manager Isaac Ruiz and clubhouse assistant Tony Gutierrez.

*Rookie Dominican: manager Jose Umbria, pitching coach Danielin Acevedo, coaches Francisco Gerez and Jose Guillen, trainer Leonardo Jimenez and performance coach (to be announced).

*Rookie Venezuela: manager Russell Vasquez pitching coach Carlos Hernandez, coaches Alex Delgado, Richard Paz and Selwyn Langaigne, trainers Jhonny Molina and Luis Fermin and clubhouse manager Melvi Piedra.

The Mariners also announced the following coordinator assignments for their minor-league operations:

Field coordinator Jack Howell, pitching coordinator Terry Clark, rehab pitching coordinator Gary Wheelock, catching coordinator Dan Wilson, hitting coordinator Lee May Jr., infield coordinator Jim Pankovits, and special assistant coordinator Alvin Davis.

The following assignments were also announced:

Latin America field coordinator Jose Moreno, Latin America pitching coordinator Nasusel Cabrera, performance coordinator Rob Fumagalli, athletic trainer coordinator James Southard, assistant athletic trainer coordinator Ben Fraser and Latin American trainer coordinator Javier Alvidrez.

CANO IN DOMINICAN

Second baseman Robinson Cano is expected to begin playing Tuesday for Estrellas de Oriente in the Dominican Winter League.

Cano received permission last week from the Mariners to test his recovery from a broken toe by playing a few games for Estrellas. He suffered the injury Nov. 15 while playing for a Major League touring team in Japan.

Plans call for Cano to serve primarily as a designated hitter for Estrellas, which has five games remaining in its regular season. Cano is expected to remain with the club for any postseason games.

The Mariners open spring training Feb. 20 with pitchers and catchers report to the organization’s year-round complex in Peoria, Ariz. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 25.