Milwaukee City Wire

This week the Milwaukee Brewers announced several key additions to their minor league staff, as well as the return of AAA Manager Rick Sweet, who is one of the most successful coaches in minor league history.

Main Street Nashville reported that the Nashville Sounds will be once again led by Sweet, who is in his third season coaching Brewer affiliate and second year in a row. Since 2014, Sweets has been the manager of Milwaukee’s AAA clubs and has had an impressive 509-460 record. He managed the San Antonio Missions in 2019 and the Colorado Springs Sky Sox fro 2015-2018. The Sounds became the Brewer affiliate in 2021. Sweet is 10th all time in wins in the minor leagues with 2,101. He was Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 1994, International League Manager of the Year in 2008 and 2009 and Baseball America’s Manager of the Year in 2010.

“Sweet, 69, returns to the Sounds after leading the club to a 70-58 record in 2021 and a 77-67 mark in his first year as Nashville’s manager in 2014,” Main Street Nashville reported.

Other staff members on the Sounds include Al LeBoeuf at hitting coach; pitching coach Jeremy Accardo; Coach Ned Yost IV; Development Coach Sean Isaac; athletic trainer Jeff Paxson; assistant athletic trainer Myles Fish and strength and conditioning specialist Andrew Emmick.

According to MLB.com, Joe Ayrault will be the new manager of Class-A Wisconsin. He comes to the team after managing Class-A Carolina the past five seasons. Ayrault will be replaced by Victor Estevez, who comes to the Mudcats after six seasons managing the DSL Brewers. Natanael Mejia was named the new manager of the DSL Brewers after coaching for three seasons in the Dominican Republic.

The Mudrats also tweeted about the field staff finalizations, which also included former NCAA champion pitching coach Drew Thomas and longtime Minor League hitting coach Ken Joyce.

Reviewing the Brew reported that there were several promotions in the minor league system, as well. Pedro Alvarez and Rickie Weeks were added as assistants. Spencer Allen was hired as the assistant field coordinator/outfield and base running instructor. Brenton Del Chiaro is the new minor league hitting coordinator and Eric Thiesen was promoted to assistant hitting coordinator after a stint coaching Low-A Carolina last year.

“The Brewers finalized their minor league staffs this morning. Joe Ayrault is moving up from Carolina to manage Wisconsin in place of Matt Erickson and Jeremy Accardo is replacing Jim Henderson as pitching coach at Nashville,” Brewers beat writer Adam McCalvy tweeted on Feb. 8.