Ayrault Named Manager of the Manatees For 2012 Season

By  //  February 10, 2012

BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – The Milwaukee Brewers announced the coaching staffs for its minor league affiliates for the 2012 season, including the Brevard County Manatees.

Jeff Isom, who managed the Manatees last season, was named manager for the Rookie League Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League. With Isom’s departure, Joe Ayrault will take the reins in Brevard County for the 2012 season.

Ayrault has spent the last two seasons managing the Helena Brewers, compiling a record of 71-80. In 2010, Ayrault led Helena to a 41-34 regular season record and the team’s first Pioneer League championship since 1996.

Ayrault is no stranger to the Florida State League as he managed the Sarasota Reds from 2007-09. He led the Reds to the 2007 FSL playoffs as Sarasota won the first-half in the West division.

Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the 1990 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft out of Sarasota High School, Ayrault spent eight seasons in the Braves’ minor league system as a catcher.

He made his Major League debut on September 1, 1996 for Atlanta and was included on the postseason roster for the Braves as they went play in the 1996 World Series.

Yost Manatee’s New Hitting Coach

Dwayne Hosey, who spent two seasons as the Manatees’ hitting coach, will be the hitting coach for Milwaukee’s Double-A affiliate, the Huntsville Stars for the 2012 season. With Hosey’s departure, Ned Yost IV will be Brevard County’s new hitting coach.

Yost

Yost is in his fourth season as a coach in the Brewers system. He spent the last three seasons with the Helena Brewers.

Prior to coaching, Yost spent three seasons as an infielder in Milwaukee’s farm system from 2005-07. He played in 71 games over two seasons with the Manatees in 2006 and 2007.

The Brewers signed Yost as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2005. He is the son of former Brewers manager and current Royals manager, Ned Yost.

Fred Dabney, Craig Back With the Manatees For 2012 Season

Dabney

Dabney is entering his eighth season as the Manatees pitching coach and has been coaching in the Brewers organization for nine seasons.

Craig will be back for his fifth season as the trainer for the Manatees. He has been an athletic trainer in professional baseball for over 30 seasons and was the trainer for the Toronto Blue Jays when they won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992-93.

The strength and conditioning coach for the 2012 season will be announced at a later date.

For more information on the Brevard County Manatees, call 321-633-9200 or visit ManateesBaseball.com