CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Indians have reorganized their Latin American Operations department following the departure of director Ramon Pena.
After what was called an amicable parting between Pena and the Indians in January, Koby Perez was promoted to director of Latin American scouting. Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations for the Indians, said late last week that Julio Rangel, the organization’s assistant field coordinator, will be more involved in the team’s Latin American interests this season as well.
Rangel, who has worked for the Indians since 2007, has been a minor league pitching coordinator and a mental skills and cultural development coach for the team. Now he’ll assist field coordinator Tom Wiedenbauer on the development of Indians’ players in the minors.
The Indians are moving into a new baseball academy in the Dominican Republic later this year and Rangel will be involved with that as well.
“We’ve reorganized how we’re doing things in Latin America,” said Antonetti. ”We’ve got a scouting staff led by Koby Perez that will be responsible for signing players. Then we have the player development area and we’ll treat it now as a minor league affiliate for us. That includes the Dominican Summer League and how we operate our player development operations in spring training and the instructional league.”
Pena spent six years with the Indians as their director of Latin American operations. In that role he was in charge of scouting, player development and operations. Those duties will no longer rest with one man.
“Now we’re going to take the player development and treat it like another minor league affiliate so we can be better integrated and aligned,” said Antonetti.
The Indians were discussing these changes with Pena when he resigned. They were implemented after his resignation.
When it comes to player development in Latin America all questions will flow through Carter Hawkins, Indians director of player development. Pena had reported to Ross Atkins, who left the organization in January to become Toronto’s GM.
Perez will report to Matt Forman, director of baseball operations. The Indians, including Perez, have 11 fulltime scouts and two part-time scouts in Latin America. John Mirabelli, senior director of scouting operations, will continue to be involved in all aspects internationally and domestically of the Tribe’s scouting department.
Jose Mejia is in his fourth year as manager and field coordinator of the Tribe’s team in the Dominican Summer League. His staff includes infield coach Carlos Fermin, the brother of former Indians shortstop Felix Fermin.
“We have a really good development staff there,” said Antonetti. ”This changes who they report to.”
The Indians minor league affiliates are the Class AAA Clippers, Class AA Akron RubberDucks, Class A Lynchburg Hillcats, Class A Lake County Captains, Class A (short season) Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Arizona League Indians (rookie) and the Indians Dominican Summer League team (rookie).
