The Minnesota Twins have announced that Jake Mauer will be the manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts for the upcoming 2017 season. Mauer will be joined by new hitting coach Javier Valentin and returning pitching coach Ivan Arteaga. Rounding out the staff is trainer Chris Johnson, who will be entering his third year with the team, and new strength and conditioning coach, Ryan Grose.
Mauer joins the Lookouts after spending the previous four season as the manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels where he posted a record of 316-241. Mauer, the brother of Twins first baseman Joe Mauer, replaces manager Doug Mientkiewicz who helmed the Lookouts the previous last two years and led the team to the Southern League Championship in 2015.
Mientkiewicz is headed back to Fort Myers where he managed in 2013 and 2014.
Coaching the hitters this season will be former Major League catcher Javier Valentin. Valentin has spent the last two seasons coaching with the GCL Twins after a 10-year Major League career. The former catcher, who was drafted by the Twins in 1993, finished his career sporting a .251 batting average. Valentin takes over for 2016 Lookouts hitting coach Tommy Watkins who replaced Mauer as the manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Pitching coach Ivan Arteaga is back with the team after a successful 2016 campaign where he coached a staff that produced a 3.60 ERA. Prior to being with the Lookouts Arteaga was the pitching coach for the Fort Myers Miracle.
Mauer’s first game as manager takes place at home on April 6 when the Lookouts face the Mobile BayBears at 6:15 p.m. at AT&T Field. To secure seats to the season’s best games, call the Lookouts ticket office at 423-267-4TIX.