The Cleveland Guardians have announced promotions and new hires for their player development department as they prepare for the 2025 season. Alex Eckelman, vice president of hitting, will now also take on a greater role in player acquisition. Stephen Osterer, the new director of player development, will assume the responsibilities of Rob Cerfolio, who left for the Cardinals. Alyssa Nakken, previously with the Giants, joins as assistant director of player development, making history as the first female coach to appear in a spring training game in 2020. Connor Watson has been named assistant director of hitting development.
Nate Freiman has been promoted to vice president of hitting, while Will Huntington is now the assistant director of development. Ilanana Mishkin will continue as assistant director of player development, and JB Early will work on developing defense, baserunning, and game strategy with big-league coach Kai Correa. Other key members of the player development department include Lionel Chia as assistant director of physical development, Ben Johnson as assistant director of pitching development, and Craig Massoni as hitting coordinator.
The team has also appointed various coordinators and managers to oversee different aspects of player development, including AAA bench coach Daniel Robertson and AA bench coach Marc Mumper. With these new additions and promotions, the Guardians are looking to enhance their player development efforts and continue building a successful team for the upcoming season.
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