Shawn Roof takes over as manager of Minor League Baseball team, Travis Denker returns as hitting coach of Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate
@TheSunGazette
VISALIA– The Arizona Diamondbacks announced their 2019 Visalia Rawhide coaching staff last week, and it is filled with new and familiar faces.
Shawn Roof will start his first season with the Rawhide as Manager. This is Roof’s third year in a managerial role and his fourth season as a coach in the Arizona’s farm system. His first managerial position was in 2017 with the Class A Short Season Diamondbacks Affiliate, the Hillsboro Hops. In Roof’s first year he led the Hops make the playoffs with a 41-35 record. Last season, the Hops made the semi-finals in the Northwest League Playoffs. The best performance under Roof.
Roof, 34, was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2007 amateur draft by the Detroit Tigers. He spent six years in the minors, mostly with the Tigers. He reached the level of triple-A in 2010 before beginning his coaching career with the Baltimore Orioles organization.
Sane Loux will take over as pitching coach. Loux enters his third straight season coaching the position. He spent the last two seasons coaching for the Diamondbacks Rookie League affiliate the Missoula Osprey. Before he became a coach, Loux was a second-round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 1997. Loux made his MLB debut for the Tigers in 2002, and pitched for the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants.
Travis Denker will be the only familiar face in the Rawhide dugout this season, and he will be the hitting coach. Last season, Denker was the coach for the Rawhide. Prior to his coaching career, Denker played 12 years in the minors for six organizations. He played 24 games in the majors with the San Francisco Giants and then ended his playing career with the Diamondbacks in 2017.
Nick Evans rounds out the staff and will be the team’s coach this season. This will be Evans’ first season coaching. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2004 draft. Evans made his debut for the Mets in 2008 at age 22. He also played in the Pittsburgh and Arizona organizations.
The goals are high for the Rawhide in 2019 after they lost to Rancho Cucamonga in the finals last season.
“We look forward to welcoming Shawn as the Manager of the Rawhide and to continuing the success we’ve seen on the field,” said Rawhide General Manager Jennifer (Pendergraft) Reynolds. “We’re excited for the rest of the great staff that has been put together, as well. We’re proud to be celebrating out 13th season with Diamondbacks, who have been a great partner to both the Rawhide and to the Visalia Community.” The 2019 season marks the 73rd year of professional baseball in Visalia at Rawhide Ballpark. The Rawhide will open their season on April 4 against the San Jose Giants.
