(FOX 17) — The Detroit Tigers are making several changes to staff within the organization and that includes in West Michigan. Former manager Lance Parrish is now a special assistant to Tigers General Manager Al Avila while former Tigers catcher Brayan Peña takes over as the Whitecaps 14th manager in team history.
“Brayan will be a welcome addition to our clubhouse,” Whitecaps Vice President and General Manager Jim Jarecki said in a release. “We’ve heard nothing but great thins about Brayan, he’s a rising manager in the Tigers system.”
Pena played 12 seasons in the MLB including for the Tigers in 2013 in which he had his most productive season of his career offensively, hitting .297 in 71 games while serving as the backup to Alex Avila.
The Tigers also announced the appointment of John Murrian as the Whitecaps hitting coach. Murrian was a hitting instructor for the Gulf Coast League Tigers-West team last season and was the Tigers bullpen catcher for five seasons.
