Fisher Cats name 2020 coaching staff

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MANCHESTER, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats named 2019 Dunedin Blue Jays manager Cesar Martin as new manager in November, and on Friday they named the rest of their 2020 coaching staff.

Following Martin from the Advanced-A Florida State League, Pitching Coach Jim Czajkowski and Hitting Coach Matt Young will make the move to New Hampshire this year.

Czajkowski had a stint coaching in New Hampshire in 2014 before spending the last six seasons as pitching coach for the Short Season-A Vancouver Canadians (2015, 2017-18) and Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays (2016, 2019).

Before 2014, Czajkowski had a 12-year professional career that included five MLB games with the Colorado Rockies in 1994. He then became the pitching coach of the Rookie-Level Danville Braves in 2000. He remained in the Braves system until 2011, spending three years with the Canadians before his year in New Hampshire.

Young, 37 is a native of Temple, Texas and reached the major leagues with two different organizations during his playing career, appearing in 20 games with the Braves in 2011 and five with the Tigers in 2012. In addition to leading the Florida State League’s top offense in 2019, he helped the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts to an increase of 35 runs, 14 homers and 51 walks between 2017 and 2018.

Dunedin won division titles in the first and second half of last season, and led the Florida State League with a .339 on-base percentage, 165 stolen bases, 220 doubles and 4.5 runs per game. On the mound, the D-Jays ranked third in ERA (3.29), second in shutouts (19), and second in fewest walks allowed (369).

In addition to Czajkowski and Young, the Fisher Cats named Chris Schaffer as a position player coach, Harry Roberson as a player development coach and Kat Mangieri as team dietitian.

Schaeffer, 32, spent parts of four seasons in the Blue Jays farm system, including two games with New Hampshire in 2013.

Athletic Trainer Caleb Daniel returns for a second season at Delta Dental Stadium, while Gorham native Brian Pike heads back to the Granite State for his 10th season as Fisher Cats strength & conditioning coach, following two seasons with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

The Fisher Cats open the 2020 season with a six-game road trip, starting in Reading against the Fightin’ Phils (Philadelphia Phillies) on Thursday, April 9. The home opener will be on Thursday, April 16 at Delta Dental Stadium at 6:35 p.m. against the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies).

About this Author

Andrew Sylvia

Assistant EditorManchester Ink Link

Born and raised in the Granite State, Andrew Sylvia has written approximately 10,000 pieces over his career for outlets across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. On top of that, he's a licensed notary and licensed to sell property, casualty and life insurance, he's been a USSF trained youth soccer and futsal referee for the past six years and he can name over 60 national flags in under 60 seconds according to that flag game app he has on his phone, which makes sense because he also has a bachelor's degree in geography (like Michael Jordan). He can also type over 100 words a minute on a good day.