Staten Island Yankees Announce 2017 Coaching Staff

(Photo by Wendell Cruz – Double G Media)

STATEN ISLAND – As Spring Training approaches, the Staten Island Yankees have been assigned the following field staff by the New York Yankees:

Julio Mosquera – Manager

Mosquera enters his 12^th season as a coach in the New York Yankees organization and his third as a manager after leading the Gulf Coast League Yankees to 45-68 record in 2015-16. Before transitioning into a manager, the Panama native spent nine seasons (2006-14) as a minor league catching coordinator, including a stop with Staten Island from 2006-07 where he was part of the 2006 New York-Penn League Championship. During his time as a catching coordinator, Mosquera was credited as an instrumental part of the development of catchers such as Francisco Cervelli and Gary Sanchez. The former catcher was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1991, making his professional debut in 1993. Mosquera made his MLB debut in 1996 with Toronto where he appeared in 11 games during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. He made a 12^th and final MLB appearance in 2005 with the Milwaukee Brewers against the New York Yankees. Throughout his pro playing career, Mosquera took the field for six organizations: Blue Jays, Brewers, Rays, Yankees, Rangers and Mariners.

Kevin Mahoney – Hitting Coach

Mahoney enters his third season as a coach in the Yankees organization, all as a hitting coach with previous stops at the Gulf Coast League (2015) and rookie-level Pulaski (2016). The Long Island native returns to Staten Island where he played third base for the Baby Bombers in 2010, batting .276 with six home runs and 22 RBIs in 38 games. Mahoney was drafted by the Yankees in the 23^rd round in 2009 from Canisius College where he is the school’s all-time leader in home runs, hits, doubles, RBIs, walks and games played. He played in the Yankees organization from 2009-13, making it as high as AAA before playing for independent Amarillo in 2014.

Travis Phelps – Pitching Coach

Phelps returns to Staten Island for a second consecutive season after making his pro coaching debut in 2016. In his first season as Staten Island’s pitching coach, he guided the pitching staff to a playoff appearance and a 2.82 ERA, third-lowest in the NYPL. Prior to joining the Yankees organization, Phelps ran a baseball training facility in St. Petersburg, Florida, for three years before being a sports agent for almost a year. Drafted in the 89th round of the 1996 draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Phelps made his MLB debut with the Rays in 2001. He spent two seasons with Tampa, posting a 3-4 record in 75 games (99.2 IP) with a 3.99 ERA and two saves out of the bullpen. Phelps also made 4 relief appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2004. In total, Phelps played 11 season in MiLB for the Rays, Braves, Brewers, Reds, Rockies, Cubs and Astros organizations. Before hanging up his cleats in 2009, Phelps played four seasons of independent baseball with Camden, Newark and York.

Teuris Olivares – Defensive Coach

Olivares enters his third season as defensive coach of the Staten Island Yankees after helping the Baby Bombers reach the NYPL playoffs in 2016. Olivares began his professional baseball career as a player in the New York Yankees organization in 1996. The Dominican Republic native worked his way through the system until 2004, reaching as high as AAA. Olivares then played independent baseball from 2005-10 for Newark, Camden, Somerset and the Road Warriors before rejoining the Yankees organization as a coach for the Dominican Summer League Yankees from 2011-14.

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“I was very excited when Gary [Denbo] and Eric [Schmitt] told me about coming to Staten Island. First and foremost, I coached there a couple years, and I feel like I know the city and am pretty familiar with it. It was also really exciting, because I wanted to call Jane [Rogers] as soon as I found out. We had a good working relationship when I was coaching there, so that part makes it a lot easier when you know somebody coming in. It is really exciting for me and my family. They were all happy about it. I’m excited to get over there and start managing” – Julio Mosquera, Manager

“We’re excited to have Julio back on Staten Island. It was pleasure having him at the ballpark in 2006 and 2007.  We can’t wait to see how he’s grown as a coach over the last ten years, and we look forward to him serving as manager of the 2017 team.” – Jane Rogers, General Manager

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The Staten Island Yankees are the Single A-Short Season Affiliate of the New York Yankees and play at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George. The Staten Island Yankees are six-time New York-Penn League Champions (2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011). For more information, visit siyanks.com.