WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - With the first game of the season coming up, the Sacramento River Cats, proud Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, have announced their full coaching staff for the 2024 baseball season.

The 2024 coaching staff features three returning coaches in Manager Dave Brundage, Hitting Coach Damon Minor, and Fundamentals Coach Jolbert Cabrera. Joining them on staff will be new Pitching Coach Alan Quijano, as well as Assistant Hitting Coach Rob Riggins. Also serving on staff will be Chris Walsh (athletic trainer), Brian Reinker (athletic trainer), Eric Wood (strength & conditioning coordinator), Alec Rainsford (associate analyst), Trusten Annin (video technology associate), JJ Leon (performance nutrition associate), and Manny Gaspard (home clubhouse manager).

Brundage returns for his seventh season at the helm of the River Cats, first beginning in the role prior to the 2017 campaign. In his six seasons, Brundage has amassed a 380-465 (.450) record, including a magical 2019 season in which Sacramento won 73 contests and were both Pacific Coast League and Triple-A champions. Currently, Brundage has totaled the second-most managerial wins in Sacramento franchise history, trailing only the 578 that Tony DeFrancesco compiled from 2003-07 and 2009-10.

For his career, Brundage has a managerial record of 1,751-1,780 (.496), with his time as a skipper spent mostly in Triple-A. Prior to Sacramento, Brundage spent a total of 10 seasons in the International League, most recently spending four years with Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Phillies, 2014-16) and six campaigns with the Richmond/Gwinnett Braves (Atlanta Braves, 2007-2012). A seventh pick of the fourth round in the 1986 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies out of Oregon State, Brundage’s career as a manager began in 1995 with the Riverside Pilots (Class-A Advanced, Seattle Mariners) and includes six seasons in Double-A with the Memphis Chicks/San Antonio Missions (Seattle Mariners).

Minor is set to begin his eighth season with the River Cats, first assuming his position as hitting coach with the River Cats prior to the 2016 season. Twice in his time with Sacramento has he helped the River Cats to hit over 200 home runs in a season, and overall has led them to their four highest home run totals and their fourth-highest team batting average during 2019 (.280). Not only has there been an increase in power, but the River Cats have swiped 100 steals or more three times in his tenure, including the second-most stolen bases in Sacramento history last year (142).

A product of the University of Oklahoma, Minor was a member of the 1994 championship squad before being drafted with the seventh pick of the 12th round in the 1996 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Minor made his MLB debut with the Giants in 2000 and played parts of four campaigns with San Francisco in 2000-02 and 2004, hitting .232 with 13 home runs in 136 games. In 2002, he set a career-high by playing in 83 games and hitting 10 home runs, helping the Giants clinch the National League pennant. While playing in the Giants’ organization, Minor held a batting average of .277 with 179 home runs and 648 RBI spread amongst nine seasons.

Cabrera prepares for his eighth season in the Giants’ organization, his fifth as fundamentals coach of the River Cats after assuming the role in 2019 prior to the Triple-A Championship season. During the 2021 campaign, Cabrera helped the River Cats tie the Sacramento franchise mark for fewest errors in a season with 103, and Sacramento’s fielding percentage of .979 in 2022 is tied for the fifth-best mark in franchise history. In just the past three seasons, Cabrera has worked with eight MiLB.com Organization All-Stars in Sacramento, including PCL MVP David Villar in 2022.

Prior to his time with the River Cats, Cabrera’s coaching career began as the hitting coach for the AZL Giants in 2016 and before becoming the manager for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (A-Short) in 2017 and the Augusta GreenJackets (Class-A) in 2018. Those positions came on the heels of a playing career that spanned over 20 years, including making his MLB debut with the Cleveland Indians on April 12, 1998. He would go on to play for the Indians (1998-2001), Dodgers (2002-03), Mariners (2004), and Reds (2008). The definition of utility, Cabrera played every infield and outfield position during his major-league career (except pitcher and catcher) and saw time in the 2001 American League Championship Series as a member of Cleveland.

Quijano remains in the San Francisco organization for his fourth season, as he has spent the past three seasons as the pitching coach for the Eugene Emeralds (High-A). Originally, Quijano was set to be the pitching coach for the August GreenJackets (Class-A) in 2020 prior to the cancellation of the season. Emeralds’ pitchers have totaled no fewer than 1,286 strikeouts in each of Quijano’s three seasons with the team, and he helped mentor the staff to an eye-popping 3.42 ERA and .220 opposing batting average during the 2022 season in which Eugene was 81-48.

Prior to his position with Eugene, Quijano was the pitching coach for the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the Independent American Association. Other stops included serving as the head coach at Olive Harvey College, assistant coach at Iowa Wesleyan College, and pitching coach Grand View College where his pitching staff allowed the fewest walks in the nation and ranked second nationally in walks allowed per game. Before coaching, Quijano pitched collegiately at Grand View College and spent nine seasons in Independent League Baseball from 2005-2014.

Riggins has spent over a decade as a coach in baseball, most recently as the hitting coach for the DSL Giants Black in 2022-23. Much of his coaching experience comes at the high school level in New Mexico, starting as the head coach at Los Lunas High School (2010-12) and Pojoaque Valley High School (2013-14). After a brief stop as pitching coach for Atrisco Heritage Academy High School in 2015, Riggins returned as manager for Lovington High School (2016-18) and Pojoaque Valley (2019).

Prior to 2020, Riggins was hired to serve as the development coach for the Rocky Mountain Vibes, though the season was shut down. Riggins has also worked with the Amarillo Baseball Academy, and started his own training academy, Heavy Mettle Baseball.

In the Athletic Training office, Reinker returns for his third season in the San Francisco organization, first coming to Sacramento prior to the 2022 season. Reinker brings a wealth of experience, including being named the PCL Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2015 with the Salt Lake Bees. Reinker will be joined by a newcomer in Walsh, who will enter his third year in the San Francisco organization after spending the previous two seasons with the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Double-A).

Returning for his third season as strength & conditioning coordinator is Wood, who began his role with Sacramento prior to the 2022 season. Before coming to Sacramento, Wood spent the 2012-2021 seasons in the San Diego Padres organization in a variety of minor league strength roles.

Back for his third season in the San Francisco organization, Annin will reprise his role as video technology associate. He is joined by Rainsford, who will be spending his first year with both the Giants and the River Cats. Meanwhile, Leon returns to Sacramento for his second campaign as performance nutrition associate.

Gaspard will be going on his eighth season with San Francisco, but his second season as the home clubhouse and equipment manager for the River Cats. Originally, Gaspard worked in Arizona at the Giants’ Spring Training facility and as a visiting clubhouse manager in Sacramento.

The River Cats will begin with their 25th anniversary season at home on Friday, March 29 when they take on the Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels) at 6:45 p.m. (PT). Nearly one week prior, the Sacramento River Cats will battle against their parent affiliate, the San Francisco Giants, in an exhibition contest on Sunday, March 24.

 

A full game schedule, as well as promotional schedule, is currently available online at rivercats.com. Game dates and times are subject to change. Memberships, select ticket packs, and hospitality rentals are currently available by calling the River Cats ticket hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487).