CYCLONES ANNOUNCE 2016 COACHING STAFF

The Brooklyn Cyclones will open their 2016 season on Friday, June 17th and will once again be led by manager Tom Gamboa, who has been at the helm of the Cyclones in each of the last two seasons. Gamboa is 75-77 during his tenure in Brooklyn and will become just the second manager in franchise history to guide the club for three consecutive seasons, joining Rich Donnelly who served as manager from 2011-2013. 

Gamboa, 68, enters his third season with the Mets organization and his 43rd year in pro baseball. The Rancho Mirage, CA native has served on the Major League coaching staffs of the Chicago Cubs (1998-99), and Kansas City Royals (2001-03). The father of five has also had a successful managerial career in the minor leagues, including division titles most recently in Arkansas (AA) in 2005, and Albuquerque (AAA) in 2000. 

Rounding out the Cyclones coaching staff for the 2016 campaign will be bench coach Edgardo Alfonzo, pitching coach Billy Bryk, Jr., hitting coach Sean Ratliff, athletic trainer Gavin Grosh and strength coach Joe Lego. 

Alfonzo, 42, has been a member of the Cyclones coaching staff in a similar role for three seasons while also serving as a Club Ambassador for the New York Mets. “Fonzie” spent eight years of his 12-year major league career with the Mets and ranks among the franchise leaders in hits, runs, doubles, RBI and home runs. In 2000, the National League All-Star hit .324 with 25 home runs, 40 doubles and 94 RBI while helping the Mets reach the World Series for the first time since 1986. 

Bryk, Jr., 31, will join the Mets organization and the Cyclones for the first time in 2016. The Chicago, IL native served as the pitching coach for the Independent League Frontier Greys in 2015 and was a special assignment scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2013-2014. Began his coaching career in 2007 as the bullpen coach for Brockton in the Independent Can-Am League. 

Ratliff, 29, enters his second season as a coach in the Mets organization after a five-year playing career that saw him progress to Binghamton (AA) before an injury derailed his career. The native of Cypress, TX was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Stanford University. Began his playing career as a member of the Cyclones and hit .229 (46-201) with seven home runs and 22 RBI in 59 games with Brooklyn. Spent the 2015 season as the hitting coach with Kingsport (R) of the Appalachian League. 

Gavin Grosh, 28, enters his fifth year in the Mets organization and first as the athletic trainer for the Brooklyn Cyclones. The 28-year-old served in the same role for the Kingsport Mets in 2015 and Gulf Coast Mets in 2014. From 2012-2013 he was the head trainer at the Mets Dominican Academy. Rounding out the staff is strength coach, Joe Lego, who enters his third season in the Mets organization, all in the same role with the Cyclones.