Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay Rays announce changes to coaching staff

Published Oct. 3, 2017 6:29 p.m. ET

TAMPA BAY RAYS PRESS RELEASE

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays announced several changes to Manager Kevin Cash’s coaching staff. Former third base coach Charlie Montoyo will assume the role of bench coach, replacing Tom Foley, who transitions to a new position with the club. Former Triple-A Durham Bulls pitching coach Kyle Snyder has been promoted to major league pitching coach, replacing Jim Hickey, who is leaving the organization. Finally, Jamie Nelson will not return to his role as major league coach, and a new role for him within the organization is being explored.

“I am so grateful to Fo, Hick and Nelly for all of their contributions to our major league club. They are tremendous coaches and even better people, and they’ve had such positive impact throughout the Rays organization,” said Cash. “I’m glad that Fo and Nelly will have new opportunities to help the Rays, and I will always appreciate my time with Hick and wish him the best. At the same time, I’m excited for what Kyle will contribute to our staff, and for the wealth of experience that Charlie will bring to his new role.”

Foley will step into a new role in 2018—his 23rd season in the organization—and remain heavily engaged with the major league team. In doing so he concludes a 16-year tenure on the Rays major league coaching staff, the longest in franchise history. Foley served as bench coach for the last three seasons (2015-17) following 13 seasons (2002-14) as the third base coach. Only three other coaches in the majors have a longer tenure with their current team than Foley did: San Francisco’s Ron Wotus (since 1998) and Dave Righetti (since 2000), and Alfredo Griffin (since 2000) of the Los Angeles Angels.

Hickey served as the Rays pitching coach for 11 seasons (2007-17), more than half of the franchise’s existence. Only one American League pitching coach had been at his post as long: Chicago’s Don Cooper (since 2002). During Hickey’s tenure, the Rays led the AL with 127 shutouts (tied with the Angels), .247 opponents’ batting average and 1.28 WHIP, and ranked second with a 3.95 ERA and 13,988 strikeouts. Meanwhile, 96 percent of those games (1,709 of 1,783) were started by pitchers under the age of 30. The Rays have had at least one pitcher make the All-Star Team in each of the past eight seasons, and none of those eight pitchers had ever been an All-Star prior to working with Hickey.

Nelson spent the last five seasons (2013-17) as a major league coach. He began his professional coaching career in the Rays organization in 2000, and that time includes five seasons (2003-07) managing Rookie-level Princeton.

Montoyo, who turns 52 later this month, enters his 22nd season in the Rays organization. He becomes the ninth bench coach in club history, following Frank Howard (1998-99), Bill Russell (2000), Hal McRae (2001), Billy Hatcher (2001-02), John McLaren (2003-05), Bill Evers (2006-07), Dave Martinez (2008-14) and Foley (2015-17). He served the last three seasons as the Rays third base coach after 18 seasons managing Rays affiliates at every level in the minor league system. He compiled a 1,266-1,142 (.526) record as a minor league manager, including a 633-515 (.551) mark at Durham. In eight years (2007-14) as the manager at Durham, he guided the Bulls to seven International League South Division titles, a league-record six trips to the International League finals and two Governors’ Cup championships (2009 and 2013).

Montoyo played 10 seasons (1987-96) professionally as an infielder in the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, and spent 27 days in the majors with Montreal in 1993.

Snyder, 40, becomes the eighth pitching coach in franchise history, following Rick Williams (1998–2000), Bill Fischer (2000-01), Jackie Brown (2002), Chris Bosio (2003), Chuck Hernandez (2004-05), Mike Butcher (2006) and Hickey (2007-17). He began his coaching career in 2012 and has spent all six of those seasons in the Rays organization, the last three as the pitching coach for Durham. In 2017, the Bulls pitching staff set a minor league single-season record with 1,421 strikeouts. In three seasons under Snyder, Bulls pitchers combined for a 3.61 ERA. Prior to that, he served as minor league pitching coordinator in 2014, pitching coach for the Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods in 2013 and pitching coach for Short-A Hudson Valley Renegades in 2012.

Snyder pitched parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals (2003, 2005-06) and Boston Red Sox (2006-08), appearing in 93 games with 29 starts. In 2007, his only full major league season, he compiled a 3.81 ERA over 46 relief appearances and was named to Boston’s World Series roster. He was originally drafted by the Rays in the 27th round of the 1996 June Draft out of Riverview High School in Sarasota, but did not sign. After pitching three seasons for the University of North Carolina, he was selected by Kansas City in the first round (seventh overall) in the 1999 June Draft.