Milwaukee Brewers Name Coaching Staff For Helena
January 5, 2010 - Pioneer League (PL)
Helena Brewers News Release
Helena - The Milwaukee Brewers have announced their Player Development staff for the 2010 season. The Helena Brewers will have a new manager this upcoming year. Joe Ayrault will take over the helm for his first year in Helena and with the Milwaukee Brewers.
"Joe is a solid baseball man that has a heart for the young player," said Reid Nichols, Director of Player Development for the Milwaukee Brewers. "He is a quality person and teacher. We are fortunate to add him to our staff."
Ayrault managed in the Reds organization at Class-A Sarasota for the past three seasons (2007-09). Prior to that, he served as Sarasota's hitting coach in 2006 and handled the same duties for the Rookie GCL Reds from 2004-05. He also spent three seasons in the Rangers organization, where he served as a coach with the Rookie GCL Rangers (2001), Class-A Savannah (2002) and Class-A Stockton (2003). The former catcher spent his entire playing career in the Braves organization from 1990-97. He made his only Major League appearances in 1996, also making the postseason roster that year.
"I'm really looking forward to coming to Montana," said Joe Ayrault. "I'm a baseball man foremost, but I have a love for hunting, fishing and the outdoors. This coming summer I will be in baseball heaven."
In 2007, his first season managing as a professional and in his hometown of Sarasota, he led the SaraReds to the Florida State League playoffs with an 81-59 (.579) record. Only 14 teams in all of minor league baseball had better records that year.
Pitching coach Elvin Nina and hitting coach Ned Yost IV will be returning to Helena for another season.
Elvin Nina enters his second season in the Brewers organization as pitching coach at Helena. Nina spent 10 seasons playing professional baseball as a pitcher with five different organizations, from 1997-2006. He began his playing career in Oakland's minor league system after being drafted by the Athletics in the 17th round of the 1997 First-Year Player Draft. He also played in the minors with the Angels, Dodgers, Royals and Diamondbacks before finishing his career in the independent Atlantic Baseball League.
 Ned Yost IV returns as a coach in Helena for his second season after beginning his coaching career as an assistant coach with the club in 2008.Â
 Yost played in the Brewers minor league system as an infielder for three seasons (2005-07) and batted.268. He signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2005 and made his professional debut with the Helena Brewers as the starting first baseman.
Opening day for the Brewers is Monday, June 21st against the Missoula Osprey.
Pioneer League Stories from January 5, 2010
- Milwaukee Brewers Name Coaching Staff For Helena - Helena Brewers
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