Triple-A Oklahoma City jointly announced their coaching staff for the 2021 season, with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ top Minor league affiliate led by manager Travis Barbary, who is returning for his third year with the club.
Barbary is entering his 27th overall season in the Dodgers organization as a player, staff member or coach, which included 12 years as the organization’s catching coordinator. Some of his earlier roles included a managerial stint with Rookie-Level Ogden and Low-A Columbus from 2003-06. He also was a bullpen catcher for the big league club from 1998-2001.
With the 2020 Minor League season being cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Barbary spent the year as part of the coaching staff at the Dodgers’ alternate training site held at USC.
In his first season with OKC in 2019, Barbary led the Dodgers to a 62-77 record despite a ton of roster turnover that resulted in eight players receiving their first Major League call-up. That year, the team set a single-season record by hitting 203 home runs and established a new club record for longest road winning streak at nine games.
Among the newcomers on Triple-A Oklahoma City’s staff include pitching coach Jamey Wright, who enjoyed a 19-year career in the big leagues that included two stints with the Dodgers. He returned to the organization last year as a special assistant in player development, specifically working with Minor League pitchers.
Bill Haselman, who managed the OKC Dodgers during the 2016-18 seasons, additionally returns as the team’s new bench coach and third base coach. During his three years at the helm, Haselman’s teams went a combined 228-194 (.540), captured division titles in 2016 and 2018 and advanced to the PCL Championship Series in 2016.
In terms of holdovers, Emmanuel Burriss and Justin DeFratus resume their respective roles as hitting coach and bullpen coach. Each were supposed to be members of the OKC Dodgers’ coaching staff prior to the cancellation of the 2020 season.
Burriss spent the 2019 season as a roving instructor throughout the organization. Prior to that, he played professionally as a utility player from 2006-18, including parts of seven seasons in the Major Leagues with the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies.
For DeFratus, the 2021 season marks his first as a coach. He spent the 2018-19 seasons as a pitcher for Triple-A Oklahoma City, which marked the final years of his 13-year career. He made 191 career big league appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies from 2011-15.
Head athletic trainer Shawn McDermott additionally returns for his second season, and he will be joined by new assistant athletic trainer Chelsea Willette. First-year performance coach Jeff Taylor rounds out the training staff.
When will the 2021 Minor League season begin?
While there hasn’t been an official announcement regarding the 2021 Minor League season, all signs point to play resuming this year. Minor League players will be welcomed back to Spring Training at an unknown date, and teams’ schedules figure to be revealed at some point in the coming weeks.
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