After claiming the Detroit Tigers first Midwest League title since 2015 as manager of the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps, Tony Cappuccilli is moving on up. The Tigers parted ways with long-time minor league
coach and manager, Andrew Graham, following the 2025 season. Cappuccilli will take over the Double-A Erie SeaWolves from Graham in 2026. The move gives players contiunity as many of his Whitecaps will be advancing in the toughest jump in competition in the minor leagues.
The 2025 Whitecaps were one of the greatest teams in Midwest League history, compiling a ridiculous 92-39 record. In the first half they had the advantage of stacking Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, and Josue Briceño at the top of the order, giving them the best trio of hitters in the whole league. However, they didn’t miss a beat when those players graduated to Double-A Erie, nor even after the Tigers traded away two of their most valuable pitchers in RHP Josh Randall and lefty reliever Micah Ashman at the trade deadline.
Players seem to respond very well to Cappuccilli and his staff, and his style seems to align more with the Tigers overall development philosophies these days, whereas Graham had been around the org for almost two full decades, with some sources suggesting he may have been out of step with the new front office. Either way, players like Briceño and other 2026 Whitecaps will form the bulk of Cappuccilli’s roster in Erie, and the Tigers appear to believe that consistent voice and longer term relationship with the coaching staff could benefit their players. We’ll have to see if either of McGonigle or Clark seems any more Double-A time to start the year. It seems unlikely in McGonigle’s case at least.
Moving up to take over the Whitecaps will be Rene Rivera, who won the Florida State League title last year in his first season managing the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Salvador Paniagua, who coached the Complex League Tigers to a title last year as well, moves up to manage the Flying Tigers in Rivera’s place. Stalwart coach and manager, and former Tigers’ catcher, Brayan Pena, will manage the FCL Tigers in the Complex League this season.
Gabe Alvarez remains the manager of the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, with both hitting coaches Mike Hessman and Francisco Contreras returning, along with pitching coach Doug Bochtler.
Marco Yepez and Sandy Acevedo will manage the Tigers two Dominican Summer League rosters.
Of note is the fact that each full season team away from the main Lakeland complex has a bulked up coaching staff these days, along with their athletic trainers, a strength and conditioning coach, and a dietician as well.
We’re still waiting to hear who will replace Gabe Ribas as the Tigers Director of Pitching in the system. There was some thought that Bochtler might be considered for that role, but it’s also possible that Bochtler would prefer to remain in the dugout, working with the same group of guys, rather than handling overall development plans for the whole organization’s worth of pitchers. That open role is the biggest job in the organization to fill this offseason, and spring camp is getting close, so presumably we’ll have an answer soon.
