Marlins Announce 2024 Minor League Coordinators
The Miami Marlins today announced the club’s Minor League coordinators for the 2024 season, under President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix, Director of Player Development Rachel Balkovec, and Director of Minor League Operations Hector Crespo.
The group of returning coordinators consists of: Field Coordinator Patrick Osborn; Pitching Coordinators Scott Aldred and Tommy Phelps; Hitting Coordinator Tom Slater; and Infield Coordinator Jorge Hernandez. Joining the staff in new roles are Matt Snyder as Hitting Coordinator and Maxx Garrett as a Hitting and Catching Coordinator.
Aldred enters his fifth season as the Marlins Minor League Pitching Coordinator after spending 14 years in the Yankees organization. As a player, Aldred appeared in 229 games (67 starts) over nine Major League seasons with Detroit (1990-92, ’96), Colorado (1993), Montreal (1993), Minnesota (1996-97), Tampa Bay (1998-99), and Philadelphia (1999-2000).
Garrett joins the staff after spending the last five years at Driveline Baseball as the Lead Hitting Trainer and Catching Trainer. While at Driveline, Garrett oversaw the Washington location’s hitting department, managing the training plans for their highest-level athletes and leveraging data for designing, implementing, and executing hitting and catching programs. The Kennewick, Wash. native played Division I baseball at Gonzaga University in 2011-12 before spending six years in Independent leagues including the Frontier League and the American Association.
Hernandez returns for a second-consecutive season as the Infield Coordinator in his 18th season with the Marlins, which included a five-year stint in the same role from 2014-18. In the interim, Hernandez served as the Short-Season Batavia Manager in 2019-20, then Single-A Jupiter Manager in 2021, and eventually as the High-A Beloit Manager in 2022. In total, Hernandez has compiled a 330-277 record (.544 win pct.) in seven seasons as a Manager in the Marlins system, which also includes stints with the FCL Marlins from 2009-12 and Single-A Greensboro in 2013.
Osborn will return as Field Coordinator for a third year and his fifth with the organization. Previously, Osborn worked as a Pro Scout during the 2020 season after coming to Miami from the New York Yankees organization. While with the Yankees from 2014-19, he managed at both the Single-A and Double-A levels, and was named the 2016 Florida State League Manager of the Year with the High-A Tampa Yankees.
Phelps will enter his fourth year with the Marlins organization, teaming up again with Scott Aldred as the Minor League Pitching Coordinators. Prior to Miami, Phelps spent 13 seasons as a coach in the Yankees organization, and worked as a pitching coach across their Minor League affiliates from 2009-20. Phelps pitched in 75 Major League games during his professional career and won a World Series ring with the Florida Marlins in 2003.
Slater returns as Hitting Coordinator for the third-consecutive year after spending four years as the Mets Assistant Hitting Coach from 2018-21. Prior, Slater worked nine seasons as a coach in the Yankees’ organization from 2009-17 and as a collegiate baseball coach for 17 years with stays at Auburn University (1995-2000 and 2005-08), the Virginia Military Institute (2001-03), and the University of Florida (2004).
Snyder begins his first season as Hitting Coordinator in his fifth campaign with the Marlins, originally being assigned as the Low-A Hitting Coach when he joined the organization in 2020. Since then, Snyder spent two seasons as the High-A Hitting Coach (2021-22) and last year as the Double-A Hitting Coach. In 2022, Snyder was honored as the organization’s “Staff Member of the Year.” The Centerville, Va. native played two seasons at the University of Mississippi before being selected in the 10th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft by the New York Yankees.
The Marlins begin the 2024 regular season on Thursday, March 28, facing the Pittsburgh Pirates at 4:10 p.m. on Opening Day at loanDepot park. Fans can secure their seats now to catch Marlins Baseball this season at Marlins.com/Tickets.
(This was a press release from the Miami Marlins)
Managing Editor for Blackerby Media, covering the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins Also: Senior Baseball Writer for Auburn Daily, member of both the National College Baseball Writers Association and Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (where he won the 2023 Prospects, Minors, & College Writer of the Year award)