Nik Ortiz
The Pulaski Yankees today announced their 2018 coaching staff as assigned by the New York Yankees. Nick Ortiz will manage the advanced-rookie club in his third season with the Yankees organization. He will be joined by pitching coach Gerardo Casadiego, hitting coach Francisco Leandro, and defensive coach Teuris Olivares.
The 2018 season will be Ortiz’s second stint in Pulaski; he made his professional coaching debut in Pulaski in 2016 after starting the season as a scout for the Yankees. Ortiz spent 2017 as the GCL Yankees West manager, where he led the team to a 32-27 record and third-place finish in the GCL Northwest Division. After being drafted by the Red Sox in the 34th round of the 1990 First-Year Player Draft, Ortiz played over 15 minor league seasons with the Red Sox, Expos, Indians, Dodgers, Yankees, Royals, and Cubs organizations, as well as in the independent Atlantic League.
Casadiego returns as the Pulaski Yankees pitching coach for the second straight season and his sixth in the Yankees organization. He previously served as the pitching coach for the Yankees in the Dominican Summer League. Casadiego played over 10 minor league seasons with the Expos, Yankees, Rockies, and Orioles organizations.
In his second season with the Yankees, Leandro will join the Pulaski staff as the hitting coach after spending 2017 in the same role for the GCL Yankees East. Leandro played three seasons of minor league baseball in the Tampa Bay Rays organization after being drafted in the 24th round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.
Olivares will serve as defensive coach in his eighth season in the Yankees organization. He held the same position for the Staten Island Yankees in 2016 and 2017 after coaching five seasons in the DSL. Olivares was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 1995 and played nine seasons in the Yankees farm system before playing six seasons in the independent Atlantic League.
Strength coach Larry Adegoke and athletic trainer Manny Ozoa round out the 2018 field staff. Ozoa has served as Pulaski’s athletic trainer the past two seasons after joining the Yankees following a seasonal position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2015-16.
The Pulaski Yankees open the 2018 season on the road with a three-game series against the Danville Braves June 19-21. The Yankees will host the Greeneville Reds Friday, June 22 at Calfee Park in their 2018 home opener.
