RockHounds Announce 2025 Field Staff
February 6, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Midland RockHounds News Release
Gregorio Petit is back for his second season as RockHounds manager. Also returning are (hitting coach) Juan Dilone, (athletic trainer) Eric Fasth and (sport performance coach) Jake Kistaitis. New to the club's field staff are (pitching coach) Javy Guerra, (assistant hitting coach) Gunnar Buhner and (athletic trainer) Rachel Purcell.
The 2025 season is the 53rd overall in the franchise's history and the 26th season in the RockHounds/A's affiliation.
Gregorio Petit Manager
Gregorio returns for his second season as RockHounds manager after guiding the club to the South Division pennant and a berth in the Texas League Championship Series in 2024. This is his third season with the A's organization, beginning as manager of the Stockton Ports (Single-A / California League) in 2023.
His 2024 club set multiple franchise records (spanning 53 years / 52 seasons) including an all-time best overall record of 84-54 (40-29 in the first half and 44-25 in the second).
The Venezuela native was originally signed by the A's as an international free agent on July 17, 2001 (at age 16) and made his Major League debut with the A's on May 18, 2008. He spent parts of six seasons in the Show, hitting .249 with four home runs and 35 RBI in 197 games while primarily playing the middle infield.
His big league tenure included the A's (2008-09), Houston Astros (2014), New York Yankees (2015), Los Angeles Angels (2016) and Minnesota Twins (2018).
While not a power hitter, two of his four career home runs were notable, both in 2016 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. The first came at Yankee Stadium (June 8) against Nathan Eovaldi and the second was a grand slam at Minute Maid Park against the Astros (on June 20).
His career also included 15 minor league seasons, during which he hit .269 in 1,315 games. In addition to the A's, he played for the Rangers, Indians, Padres, Astros, Yankees, Angels, Blue Jays & Twins organizations, with the vast majority of his minor league career spent at the Triple-A level (.267 in 919 games). He also played 12 seasons in the Venezuelan Winter League.
Following a 16-year playing career (2003-18), his first coaching assignment came in a two-year stint as manager of the Corpus Christi Hooks (the Astros' Double-A Affiliate) in 2021 and 2022. The Hooks went a combined 117-139 in his two seasons in Corpus and Stockton finished 50-82 in the 2023 California League season (his first with the A's organization).
The assignment to manage the RockHounds also provided a "homecoming" of sorts. Gregorio played for the club in 2007 on his way to the big leagues, hitting .306 in 66 games and flashing his tremendous defensive skills.
"G" (who was born in Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela) now makes his home in Houston, Texas, with his wife, Yessica, daughter, Greysca, and sons, Benjamin and Sebastian.
Javy Guerra Pitching Coach
Javy assumes the role of RockHounds pitching coach in his first season with the A's organization.
His 11-year Major League career included a World Series championship with the Washington Nationals in 2019.
A native of Denton, Texas, Javy was originally selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2004 draft (out of Billy C. Ryan High School in Denton). He posted a 3.98 career ERA in the big leagues, appearing in 272 games (all in relief).
He made his Major League debut (with the Dodgers) on May 15, 2011, and recorded his first save nine days later (against the Astros). With Jonathan Broxton out for the year with injuries, Javy became the Dodgers closer for most of the 2011 season, compiling a 2-2 record, with a 2.31 ERA and 21 saves.
In addition to the Dodgers (2011-13), he pitched for the Chicago White Sox (2014-15) ... Miami Marlins (2017-18) ... and opened the 2019 season with Toronto. He was waived by the Blue Jays early in the season, which turned out to be a "blessing in disguise." Washington quickly claimed him off waivers and he pitched for the Nationals for the final three seasons of his career, including the 2019 World Series. He made two appearances in the Fall Classic versus Houston (Games 2 & 4), allowing one run over three innings.
His pro career, which spanned 20 years, included parts of 17 minor league seasons (primarily at the Triple-A level), concluding with two seasons in Mexico (2022-23).
Juan Dilone Hitting Coach
Juan's fifth season as a member of the RockHounds field staff ... his second as the club's hitting coach ... marks his 30th year with the A's organization (24 years as a coach / instructor and six as a player).
A native of the Dominican Republic, Juan was originally signed by Oakland as an international free agent in 1990 and played in a total of nine minor league seasons (six with the A's and two with the Giants before completing his playing career in the Mexican League in 2000).
He returned to the A's organization in 2002 as a hitting coach and has been a member of the organization's minor league staff ever since, including one season as manager of the Arizona Rookie League A's (2006).
He joined the RockHounds in 2021 and served as the club's assistant hitting coach for three seasons. Before being assigned to the 'Hounds, he spent four seasons (2016-19) as hitting coach for the Beloit Snappers of the (Single-A) Midwest League and seven in the same capacity with the Arizona (Rookie League) A's (2009-15).
He was remarkably versatile during his playing career, handling all three outfield positions as well as 1B, 2B and 3B. Including one game at shortstop and four appearances on the mound, he played every position except catcher over the course of his nine-year career (1991-2000).
Juan reached the Advanced-A level with the A's in 1996-97 and spent the majority of his two seasons in the Giants organization with the Shreveport Captains in the Texas League (1998-99). He finished his playing career in the (Triple-A) Mexican League.
Gunnar Buhner Assistant Hitting Coach
Gunnar joins the RockHounds as assistant hitting coach after spending his first two seasons with the A's as a hitting, infield, and outfield coach for the organization's club in the Dominican Summer League.
A native of Washington state (he was born in Issaquah, WA), he played college ball at Abilene (TX) Christian University in 2014 ... Columbia Basin College (Pasco, Washington) in 2015 ... and Lewis-Clark State College (Lewiston, Idaho) in 2016-17, when the Warriors won back-to-back NAIA World Series championships (two of LC State's 19 NAIA titles).
His pro career began with the Philadelphia Phillies' Gulf Coast (Rookie) League club in 2017, followed by stints in four independent leagues (United Shore, Frontier, American Association and Pioneer) between 2018 and 2022.
Gunnar's dad, Jay, spent 15 seasons in the major leagues. He played for the New York Yankees in 1987-88 before being traded to Seattle, where he was a member of the Mariners for 14 seasons and became one of the most popular players in the franchise's history.
Eric Fasth Athletic Trainer
Eric returns to the RockHounds for his second season as the club's athletic trainer after serving in the same capacity with the Lansing Lugnuts (High-A / Midwest League) in 2023.
Now in his fifth season with the A's organization, he has also been an assistant athletic trainer for the (Triple-A) Las Vegas Aviators (2021) and head athletic trainer for the (Single-A) Stockton Ports (2022).
Before joining the A's, he had stints with the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations and worked with the women's ice hockey and rowing teams as assistant athletic trainer at College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, Massachusetts) from 2019-21.
A native of Boise, Idaho (he now makes his home in Broomfield, Colorado), Eric earned his bachelor's degree from Linfield (Oregon) College and a holds a master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania.
Rachel Purcell Athletic Trainer
Rachel joins the RockHounds as an athletic trainer after spending two seasons in the role of assistant athletic trainer with the Arizona Complex League (ACL) A's.
Prior to joining the A's, she spent two seasons in the Texas Rangers organization (2020-22). She also served as head athletic trainer for Athletes Unlimited (professional women's indoor volleyball) in 2024 and spent three years (2016-19) as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of California, Riverside.
Raised in Mission, Viejo, Calif., Rachel holds a bachelor's degree in sports and exercise science from Seattle University and earned her master's degree in athletic training at California Baptist University (Riverside, CA).
Jake Kistaitis Sport Performance Coach
Jake returns as sport performance coach for the RockHounds, his second season with the club and his fourth in the A's organization. He also served as sport performance coach with the Arizona Complex League (ACL) A's in 2023.
He began his tenure with the organization in 2022 in the Dominican Republic, where he oversaw the strength and conditioning program for the A's academy.
The Omaha, Nebraska, native attended Iowa Western Community College (Council Bluffs, IA) before earning his bachelor's degree (in exercise science) from Metropolitan State University of Denver (Colorado). He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
During his collegiate career, Jake played baseball (first base / catcher / DH) at both Iowa Western (where he was a two-time all-academic selection) and Metropolitan State.
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Texas League Stories from February 6, 2025
- RockHounds Announce 2025 Field Staff - Midland RockHounds
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