The Padres coaching staff, as finalized by new manager Craig Stammen on Monday, includes pitching coach Ruben Niebla officially adding associate manager to his duties.
Newcomers previously reported include bench coach Randy Knorr, hitting coach Steven Souza Jr. and third base coach Bob Henley, all of whom have ties to Stammen’s days with the Nationals.
Souza debuted in 2014 with Washington while Knorr and Henley were on Nationals coaching staffs while Stammen was on the team.
Other newcomers to the staff include infielder instructor Ryan Goins, catching coach Kevin Plawecki, hitting instructor Raul Padron and field coordinator, outfield and baserunning instructor Vinny Lopez. Padron was Triple-A El Paso’s hitting coach last year, while both Plawecki and Lopez coached in Padres player development last year.
Returning to the staff are bullpen coach Ben Fritz, first base coach David Macias, assistant hitting coaches Mike McCoy and Pat O’Sullivan, infield coach Nick Punto, game planning and pitching strategist Peter Summerville, bullpen coach/coaching assistant Heberto Andrade and pitching coach assistant Chris Apecechea.
Allen Craig and A.J. Ellis are also returning as special assistants to the major league staff and baseball operations, the same job that Stammen held before he was hired as the manager this offseason.
Niebla was a finalist for the managerial job and was given the associate manager title shortly after Stammen’s hiring. Stammen spoke of an eagerness to lean on Niebla heavily the day he was introduced as the Padres’ next manager.
Former bench coach Brian Esposito is not returning to the big-league coaching staff but was expected to remain in the organization. Coaching assistant Morgan Burkhart is also not returning.