Colorado Rockies announce coaching staffs for Arizona Complex League and Dominican Summer League

DENVER- The Colorado Rockies today announced the coaching staff for their Arizona Complex League and Dominican Summer League clubs.

The Arizona Complex League club will be managed by Manager Fred Ocasio with Cesar Galvez serving as a bench trainer, David Burba and Helmis Rodriguez serving as pitching coaches and Trevor Burmeister returning as batting coach.

In the Dominican Summer League, Mauricio Gonzalez and Eugenio Jose each returns as manager of the Rockies’ two DSL clubs. Joining them will be Pitching Coach Sam Deduno, Strike Coach Florentino Nunez and hitting coach Felix Rosario.

Opportunity is returning to a leadership role after serving as development supervisor for High-A Spokane in 2021 and development supervisor for Short-Season Boise in 2019. His last stint in leadership came with High-A Lancaster/Modesto, where he directed from 2015-18. Entering his 26th season with the Rockies organization, Ocasio also served as manager of Low-A Asheville (2013-14), manager of Short-Season Tri-City (2006-12), batting coach for Tri-City (2001 – 05), hitting coach for High-A Salem (2000) and hitting coach at Rookie Level Tucson (1998-99). His managerial record includes a championship with Asheville in 2014 and three trips to the Northwest League Championship with Tri-City. The former infielder spent two years as a player in the Rockies organization from 1994 to 1995 before becoming a coach.

Galvez enters the role of bench coach with the ACL Rockies after coaching with Double-A Hartford in 2021, his sixth year as a coach. Prior to his time at Hartford, Galvez spent three seasons (2017-19) as a coach with Short-Season Boise and was named to manage Boise in 2020 before the Minor League season was canceled. Galvez spent seven seasons as an infielder in the Rockies’ minor league system from 2010 to 2016, reaching the Triple-A level.

Bourba returns as one of the ACL Rockies pitching coaches, his 12th season as a pitching coach in the Rockies farm system. Prior to joining the ACL club, Burba spent the 2018-19 seasons as High-A Lancaster pitching coach, following three seasons with Double-A Hartford/New Britain (2015-17). He also spent time as a pitching coach at High-A Modesto (2013-14) after beginning his coaching career with Short-Season Tri-City (2011-12). Burba made the transition to coaching after 19 seasons as a pitcher in professional baseball, including 15 major league seasons with Seattle (1990-91), San Francisco (1992-95, 2004), Cincinnati (1995- 97), Cleveland (1998-2002), Texas (2002) and Milwaukee (2003-04).

Rodriguez also returns as a pitching coach with the ACL Rockies, his fifth season as a pitching coach with the Rockies organization. Before joining the ACL club in 2021, Rodriguez served three seasons as a pitching coach in the Dominican Summer League. He was originally signed by the Rockies as a player at age 16 in 2010, playing seven seasons with the Rockies organization from 2011 to 2017.

burmeister is entering his third season with the Rockies organization, his second as a batting coach with the Complex League Rockies. He was originally hired as a hitting coach for Rookie Level Grand Junction ahead of the canceled 2020 season. Prior to joining the Rockies, he was an assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator for Madison College (2016-19) and an assistant baseball coach for the University of Minnesota Duluth (2015-16).

González is entering his 23rd season as manager of the Dominican Summer League team of the Rockies. In addition to his managerial role, he also oversees all aspects of fieldwork and fundamentals for DSL clubs and the resort. Before becoming a coach, Gonzalez spent five seasons as a minor league player with Oakland (1989), Colorado (1992-95) and Cleveland (1996), as well as two seasons in Taiwan and Italy (1996-97). .

Jose is entering his 17th season with the Rockies, his third as second-team DSL Rockies manager. Previously, he served 14 seasons as a batting coach in the DSL. In addition to his managerial duties, he also works in various areas of player development. A former professional player who originally signed with the Rockies in 1999, Jose played in the Rockies’ minor league system for three years.

Deduno is entering his third season as a pitching coach with the Rockies after joining the club before the canceled 2020 season. Deduno entered the coaching ranks after a professional pitching career that included Major League stints with Colorado (2010), San Diego (2011), Minnesota (2012-14) and Houston (2014-15).

Nunez enters his 15th season with the Rockies, while coaching in the Dominican Summer League. The former Rockies minor league player (2001-06) works with players in all areas of defense, base running and hitting.

Rosario will serve as batting coach for DSL clubs for the third season. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Rosario played in the Puerto Rican semi-professional leagues for 12 years and was the travel manager for the Puerto Rico team during the 2013 World Baseball Classic. He also worked for the program Major League Baseball’s after-school program for kids ages 14-18, where he coordinated tryouts and games and recruited coaches.

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