Knights Coaching Staff Newcomers…
Earlier this week, I put out a press release to announce the 2019 Charlotte Knights field staff. The staff features manager Mark Grudzielanek, who returns for his third consecutive season, along with pitching coach Steve McCatty, who also returns for a third straight year. The only other returnee on staff is Shawn Powell, who is back as the team’s strength and conditioning coach.
The 2019 squad will feature a new hitting coach — Frank Menechino — as well as Guillermo Quirόz (coach), and Josh Fallin (athletic trainer). Let’s take a look at the newcomers to the staff, who are certainly not newcomers to the game of baseball.
Frank Menechino
Menechino, a seven-year major league veteran, will begin his first season in the White Sox system in 2019. A native of Staten Island, NY, Menechino spent the past five seasons with the Miami Marlins as hitting coach (2014–18).
Originally selected by the White Sox in the 1993 amateur draft, Menechino appeared in 449 big league games over his career with Oakland (1999–2004) and Toronto (2004–05).
Menechino worked his way up through the White Sox system and played in Double-A Birmingham in 1996 & 1997 and also played Triple-A Baseball in the organization when the team’s highest affiliate was in Nashville (1997). The Knights and White Sox began their affiliation in 1999. Overall,he hit .284 with 83 home runs and 476 RBIs over parts of 12 minor league seasons.
Guillermo Quirόz
Quirόz, 37, will enter his second season in Chicago’s organization and first with the Knights in 2019. Last season, the Maracaibo, VZ native made his coaching debut with the Winston-Salem Dash (High-A) following his retirement as a player. Quiroz appeared in parts of 10 major league seasons with Toronto (2004–05), Seattle (2006, 2009–10), Texas (2007), Baltimore (2008), Boston (2012), and San Francisco (2013–14).
A member of San Francisco’s 2004 World Series championship team, Quirόz appeared in a total of 148 games over the course of his big league career.
Josh Fallin
Fallin embarks on his first season with the Knights and 21st overall in the White Sox system in 2019. Last season, the New Mexico State University product completed his 16th overall campaign as the head athletic trainer for Winston-Salem. A native of Abilene, TX, Fallin is a three-time Carolina League Trainer of the Year. He also earned Southern League Athletic Trainer of the Year honors in 2012.
