Thursday newsletter time: Rangers unveil minor-league coaching staffs. There are some key changes

Jeff Wilson January 19, 2023

Carlos Cardoza will manage Double A Frisco in 2023 after spending 2022 at High A Hickory (Hickory Crawdads).

The Rangers will have new managers at all four full-season affiliates as well as the Arizona Complex League in 2023, though only one wasn’t with the organization last season.

The newcomer is Doug Davis (not the former Rangers pitcher) at Triple A Round Rock. He replaces Matt Hagen, who left the organization to pursue opportunities outside of baseball.

So did Jared Goedert after leading Double A Frisco to the Texas League title in 2022. He will be replaced by Carlos Cardoza, who was the manager at High A Hickory last season after spending 2021 at Low A Down East.

Chad Comer goes from his role as a development coach at Frisco to managing Hickory, and Carlos Maldonado moves from the Complex League to Down East. Longtime Rangers minor-league player Guilder Rodriguez gets his first chance to manage in Arizona.

The Rangers have brought on two new pitching coaches, Dave Borkowski at Round Rock and Josh Zeid at Frisco.

On the coordinator side, longtime pitching coordinator Danny Clark has moved to the mental performance team. Just about every minor-league pitcher talks glowingly about Clark as someone who has taught them about life as well as pitching.

Jordan Tiegs, who shared pitching coordinator duties with Clark last season, stays in the same role. Brendan Sagara, who was the Rangers’ co-pitching coach the past two seasons, assumes a new role as pitch design specialist. Rangers pitchers raved about his ability to help them manipulate the ball.

More Baseball America rankings

A day after unveiling its top 10 Rangers prospects, Baseball America unveiled its top 100 prospects in baseball Thursday morning.

The Rangers have three in the top 100 — center fielder Evan Carter at No. 26, third baseman Josh Jung at No. 59 and right-hander Owen White at No. 66. Curiously, White and Jung are Nos. 2 and 3 in BA’s Rangers top 10.

The Orioles placed eight in the top 100, so it seems logical that they will be ranked at No. 1 when the organizational talent rankings come out. The Rangers’ system has taken a hit with BA since last season, but it will still be in the top 10 and should be in the top five.

MLB Pipeline will come out with its prospect rankings sooner than later. It will be interesting to see the differences between Baseball America.

Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline told the Rangers Today Baseball Podcast in the fall that he believes the Rangers have the deepest top 10 in baseball. All the same players are back, barring a trade before spring training.

ICYMI …

Well, I’ve got to be honest here: You haven’t missed much this week. It’s been pretty quiet on the Rangers front, though things are going to pick up. The Rangers Winter Caravan resumed Wednesday in north Fort Worth, visits Round Rock tonight, and has two stops Friday in the Metroplex. A big lineup, including Martin Perez, is headed to Frisco on Saturday. Now, here’s our latest in case you missed it.

Rangers Winter Caravan updated schedule

Friday on the Farm: Notes from around the system

The Sunday Read: Is there such a thing as an untouchable prospect?

Rangers Today Baseball Podcast audio, video links (or just click below)