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ApL Princeton WhistlePigs

Princeton Devil Rays name 2006 coaching staff

January 24, 2006 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Princeton WhistlePigs News Release


Jamie Nelson, the winningest manager in Princeton franchise history, will return in 2006 for his fourth consecutive year as manager for the Princeton Devil Rays of the Appalachian League. The move was unveiled today (date) as part of the announcement by team General Manager Jim Holland of the team's 2006 coaching staff. Joining Nelson in Princeton will be returning pitching coach Rafael Montalvo along with the new addition of Rafael Deleon as hitting coach.

"I am very excited to be returning to Princeton to manage in 2006. This town is a great place for young draft picks to begin their career and be focused on playing the game of baseball. The fans of Princeton are second to none in their hospitality and being there for the players," said Nelson upon learning of his managerial assignment for 2006.

Last season, Nelson piloted the P-Rays to a 34-31 record, which was good for second place in the Appalachian League's Eastern Division as well as the league's third best overall record. His last victory of the year gave him his 80th career managerial victory at Princeton, placing him alone at the top of this category in the franchise's 19-year history.

"I feel Tampa Bay recognizes that Jamie is very good at what he does and knows he is the right guy to lead their newest draft picks through their first year of pro baseball. He is popular in our community and is easy for me to work with because he has been a general manager himself in the minor leagues. He knows how important promoting baseball is throughout the community and he adds a lot to the total fan experience of both watching and enjoying a game," commented Holland.

Nelson, 46, in addition to having been manager of the P-Rays since 2003, spent a previous season in Princeton as hitting coach in 2000. His star pupil that summer was Rocco Baldelli, current star centerfielder for Tampa Bay. He spent the two years (2001-02) between his Princeton jobs as hitting coach for the Charleston (SC) Riverdogs of the South Atlantic League. His previous professional managing experience took place in the Independent Leagues from 1994-98. As a player, he appeared in his only 40 major league games as a catcher for the Seattle Mariners in 1983. His minor league playing career spanned 12 seasons with seven different organizations: Mets (1978-80), Mariners (1981-83), Brewers (1984-85), Royals (1987), Yankees (1988), Angels (1989), and Twins (1990). Nelson and his wife Lee Ann currently reside in Treasure Island, FL.

The summer of 2006 will mark the second consecutive year in the second tour of duty in Princeton for the 41-year old Montalvo, who was also pitching coach for the P-Rays from 2000-01. Last season, he was the mentor for a fine P-Ray pitching staff that struck out 551 hitters in 558.2 innings of work and featured two of the league's most dependable starting pitchers in Mike Wlodarcyzk and Jason Cayton as well as league "saves" leader Robert Findlay. Another of his young starting pitchers, Matt Walker, finished fourth in the Appalachian League in 2005 in strikeouts with 71.

"Everyone here had a feeling last year that good things were going to happen for us when we learned that Rafael was going to be joining Jamie on our coaching staff and we all hope that magic will happen again for us in 2006. Rafael did a great a job at getting the best out of our pitchers in 2005," said Holland.

Prior to returning to Princeton in 2005, Montalvo spent three seasons (2002-04) as pitching coach at Tampa Bay's other short season team at Hudson Valley, NY. He pitched professionally from 1980-1997 with his only major league service time being logged as a member of the 1986 Houston Astros. He also pitched in the Dodgers and Angels organizations. He is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico and he and his wife Yasmin have four children: Joel, Eric, Stefanie, and Edgardo.

Deleon, 42, returns to the Rays organization where he served as a manager, coach and scout with the team's Dominican Republic operations from 1996-2001. He previously worked as a coach for the Dominican Summer League entry for the Yankees (1993-95) and the Mets (1992). He also served as a scout in the Dominican Republic for the Expos in 1990-91. He played minor league baseball for three years with the Tigers, Athletics, and Cubs Dominican Summer League teams.

An athletic trainer and clubhouse manager for Princeton has yet to be named and will be announced at a future date.

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