Coaching staff for SF Giants Triple-A affiliate features a new hitting coach

The SF Giants knew they would have a void to fill on the Sacramento River Cats coaching staff after elevating Damon Minor to an assistant hitting coach on the major league staff. According to a team announcement, veteran hitting coach P.J. Pilittere will take his place on the River Cats coaching staff

Coaching staff for SF Giants Triple-A affiliate features a new hitting coach

This was actually announced in February, and we somehow missed out on covering it. Minor had been the River Cats' hitting coach for nine seasons before earning a promotion. Given this experience, there is a good sense of familiarity with him and many of the young hitters in the organization.

Pat Burrell had to rebuild his side of the coaching staff after Justin Viele was hired away by the Texas Rangers and Pedro Guerrero joined the Miami Marlins' coaching staff. Both had served as assistant hitting coaches for the Giants in 2024. The tenure for a hitting coach is relatively short in baseball, so there is often movement on many coaching staffs every offseason.

Burrell replaced them with Minor and Oscar Bernard. Bernard had worked with Bob Melvin during their time with the San Diego Padres.

On the other hand, Pelittere gives the Giants a good bit of coaching experience. He was originally a 13th-round pick by the New York Yankees in the 2004 draft out of Cal State Fullerton. His playing career spanned eight seasons before he shifted to a coaching role in the Yankees organization in 2012.

The Yankees elevated Pelittere to the major league coaching staff as an assistant hitting coach and he remained in that role for four seasons. He latched on with the Colorado Rockies in a lateral move for three years before he and the Rockies parted ways after last season.

Pelittere is the most notable change to Sacramento's coaching staff. Dave Brundange is returning for his ninth year as the skipper. His coaching career began with the Seattle Mariners organization in 1995, so he brings a wealth of experience to the position.

Jolbert Cabrera returns for his sixth season as Sacramento's fundamentals coach. Alain Quijano and Robert Riggins are returning for their second season as pitching coach and assistant hitting coach, respectively.