New Rangers assistant earns promotion, but bump creates third key job to fill in minors
The promotion of Corey Ragsdale to the Texas Rangers coaching staff might not seem like a big deal to a casual observer, but it leaves the Rangers with some work to do in the minor leagues.
They have managerial openings at their top three levels in the minors.
Ragsdale carried two roles last season: manager at High A Down East and minor-league field coordinator. The Rangers have those two voids to fill in addition to finding managers for Triple A Nashville and Double A Frisco.
General manager Jon Daniels said at least one hire will likely come from outside the organization. That led to the Rangers considering keeping Ragsdale as a manager in the minors.
“Rags has an impact in whatever role we ask him to take on,” Daniels said Tuesday at the GM meetings. “Two things: Trying to put the best staff together at the big-league level was a priority, and, two, I think he’s earned it.
Down East featured many of the Rangers’ top prospects in 2019 (Sam Huff, Leody Taveras, Bubba Thompson) at various points in the season and will be home to others in 2020 (Josh Jung, Hans Crouse, Cole Winn).
Those prospects could reach Frisco or Nashville in 2020. The Rangers will looking internally and externally to find new managers after deciding in September to not retain Nashville manager Jason Wood and his entire staff, and to not retain Frisco manager Joe Mikulik.
Ragsdale, who was an infielder in the minors before finishing his career as a pitcher, will replace Jayce Tingler as field coordinator and also coach infielders and base running. Third-base coach Tony Beasley will move from working with infielders to coaching outfielders.
The Rangers also named Ross Fenstermaker their director of pro and international scouting, a move that allows assistant general manager Mike Daly to focus primarily on player development.
Also joining Ragsdale on the major-league side is Rob Fumagalli as assistant strength and conditioning coach, who comes from the Seattle Mariners to replace Eric McMahon. McMahon could take another position in the organization.
In minor-league operations, Napoleon Pichardo was promoted to director of performance; Logan Frandsen was bumped to strength and conditioning coordinator; Cody Atkinson was announced as hitting coordinator; and Jono Armold was promoted to pitching coordinator to work alongside Danny Clark.
