The Fort Wayne TinCaps, the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, will have new leadership at Parkview Field for the 2025 season.
The Padres announced Friday that Lukas Ray, a 28-year-old former catcher, will serve as the TinCaps’ manager. Ray brings a wealth of experience, having previously managed the ACL Padres in 2022 and 2023 before leading the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm to the California League Championship Series last season.
Joining Ray’s staff is Luis Mendez, who will take over as Fort Wayne’s bench coach after managing the ACL Padres in 2024. The rest of the coaching team includes:
- Yunir Garcia: Hitting coach
- Micah Gerhart: Athletic trainer
- Tomoki Hyodo: Athletic training intern
- Connor Shadroo: Strength coach
- James McCormick: Performance analyst
- Dante Ludlow: Video coordinator
Returning staff members include pitching coach Thomas Eshelman, as well as clubhouse managers Sam Lewis and Hunter Sosenheimer.
The TinCaps’ season opener is scheduled for Friday, April 4, 2025, at Parkview Field. The Padres will assign players to the TinCaps roster in late March.
Fans can look forward to a new era of TinCaps baseball under Ray’s leadership, with a promising coaching staff ready to develop future Padres talent.
