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Brandon Hyde will make his River City debut as manager, joined by hitting coach Theron Todd, an Orange Park resident and former Jacksonville Suns outfielder from 1992. Former Major League pitcher Reid Cornelius will serve as pitching coach while Dustin Luepker joins the Suns as athletic trainer. Brandon Hyde enters his fifth season as a Minor League manager, including his second in the Southern League. He spent 2007 managing the Carolina Mudcats, then the Marlins' Double-A affiliate. The Santa Rosa, California native, and Palm Beach, Florida resident spent the second half of 2003 and all of 2004 as hitting coach of the Greensboro Grasshoppers (A), before managing the club in 2005 and 2006. As a manager, Hyde has compiled a 269-284 (.486) career record. "I always enjoyed traveling to Jacksonville, with the energy in the stadium, the environment and the town in general," Hyde said. "I'm really looking forward to spending the summer and seventy home games there." Hyde also served as a coach for Long Beach State, his alma mater, during the 2002 season when the team finished 39-21 and was eliminated by Stanford in the College World Series. As a player, Brandon Hyde spent four seasons as a catcher in the Chicago White Sox minor league system, including seven games of action with the Southern League's Birmingham Barons during 1999. "Brandon is an upper-level manager with a big league future ahead of him," Marlins Director of Player Development Brian Chattin said of Hyde. "He is a great leader and motivator and will polish players to get them ready for the Major Leagues." Orange Park resident Theron Todd has been named hitting coach, after serving in the same capacity with the Carolina Mudcats during 2008. The former outfielder played six years professionally, including 23 games of action with the Jacksonville Suns in 1992 while a member of the Seattle Mariners organization. "Theron is very experienced with more polished hitters," Chattin said of Todd. "He is great working with players in slumps and working on the mental side of the game." After spending the past five seasons as pitching coach of the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Single-A Florida State League, former Major League pitcher Reid Cornelius will join the Jacksonville staff in the same capacity during 2009. Cornelius was also pitching coach for the Carolina Mudcats during the 2003 season. Cornelius spent parts of three seasons with the Montreal Expos, New York Mets and Florida Marlins over what was a twelve-year playing career. A native of Thomasville, Alabama, Cornelius currently resides in the Palm Beach area. "Reid is as talented a pitching coach as I've been around," Chattin said of Cornelius. "After working near his home with the Florida State League team the past five seasons, we're thrilled about his move back to Double-A." Athletic trainer Dustin Luepker enters his first year in the Florida Marlins organization. The McKinney, Texas resident spent the 2008 season with the Connecticut Defenders, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The Jacksonville Suns are the Double-A Affiliate of the Florida Marlins and are proud members of the Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs. Season tickets, sponsorships and group events are currently on sale for the 2009 season by calling the Suns front office at (904) 358-2846. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
