JUPITER ANNOUNCES COACHING STAFF FOR 2018

Jupiter, FL., - The Miami Marlins Vice President of Player Development and Scouting, Gary Denbo, announced the minor league coaching assignments for the 2018 season. Jupiter finished the 2017 campaign with a record of 67-68.

A familiar face returning to Jupiter for his second year as Manager is Kevin "Smoke" Randel. Randel said, "I'm excited to be back with the Hammerheads. I am looking forward to a great season working alongside an outstanding staff. It should be a fun year with the young and promising talent we have in our system."  
The California native is entering his 9^th season in the Marlins organization and 4^th as a minor league manager. The 36-year-old began his coaching career in 2010 with the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers as the Hitting Coach. After two seasons there, he was promoted to Double -A Jacksonville and served as their Hitting Coach for three years. Due to his commitment and mind for the game, Randel spent the 2015-2016 seasons as Manager of the Grasshoppers before making Jupiter his home.
Randel, a former Long Beach State product, was drafted in the 13^th round of the MLB draft in 2002 by the Florida Marlins and spent eight seasons bouncing around the minor league system. In 2009, the second baseman played a pivotal role in the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp's (previously known as Sun's) Southern League Championship season, hitting .253, while belting 12 home runs and driving in 49 RBI's.
Pitching Coach, Bruce Walton, makes his first appearance with the Hammerheads in 2018, but his 19^th season overall coaching, 11 of which were spent in the major leagues. This will be his first year coaching since 2014, where he was the Pitching Coach for the Chicago Cubs Triple-A affiliate. Prior to that, he spent 16 years in the Toronto Blue Jays organization where he served as the Bullpen Coach from 2003-2009 and the Pitching Coach from 2010-12 for the major league club.
The University of Hawaii alum was selected in the 16^th round of the 1985 MLB draft and recorded 11 years professionally, while four of those seasons came with the Oakland A's, Montreal Expos and Colorado Rockies.
Danny Santin, homegrown in Miami, enters his first season as Hitting Coach for Jupiter. Previously, he spent four seasons with the GCL Marlins as their Hitting Coach. In 2003, the Seattle Mariners picked Santin in the 23^rd round. He spent four seasons in Seattle's minor league system before playing for the Marlins organization in 2007 with Single-A Greensboro.
Former Oklahoma Sooner, Danny Black, enters his second season with Jupiter as a Defensive Coach. The Marlins made Black a 14^th round product in the 2010 draft. The shortstop spent six seasons in the minor league system, while being named an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star in 2011 and 2012, plus a Florida State League All-Star in 2012.
Hammerheads General Manager, Jamie Toole said, "We are thrilled to have Smoke and his staff coming to Jupiter, there is a great deal of excitement building up to the 2018 Hammerheads season and we cannot wait to get started."
Athletic Trainer, Ben Cates, returns for his fourth season in Jupiter and seventh overall with the organization. The Illinois native earned his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Western Illinois University.
Rounding out the 2018 staff is Strength & Conditioning Coach, Gregory Bourn, who is in his first season with the organization and fourth overall in professional baseball. Bourn received his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health from Miami University.
The Hammerheads Video Assistant has yet to be decided.