Ankiel, Milacki and Shields join Nats minor league staff, Menhart promoted

The Nationals announced their minor league coaching staff for the 2015 season. Veteran pitching coach Paul Menhart has been promoted to minor league pitching coordinator and the team named Spin Williams as senior advisor for player development.

Gulf Coast Nationals manager Michael Barrett will return to the same position this season and also be the organization's catching coordinator.

Newcomers include former major league pitcher Bob Milacki and longtime minor league manager Tommy Shields. Milacki pitched in the majors for parts of eight seasons and most recently was a minor league pitching coach in the Phillies organization. He also had experience coaching with the Pirates organization from 2001-2008. Milacki will be the pitching coach for the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs.

Shields, a Fairfax, Va., native, comes to the organization after being the manager for the Burlington Royals in the Kansas City organization. Shields will be the co-field coordinator with the Nationals.

Rick Ankiel, a former Nationals player and 11-year major league veteran, returns to organization in the newly created role of life skills coordinator, a role in which he will mentor young players in the system. The Nationals also hired a former minor league catcher who played 11 games with the Indians, Jerad Head, who will serve as a coach during extended spring training and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals.

Billy Gardner Jr., returns as manager at Syracuse, Brian Daubach at Double-A Harrisburg, Tripp Keister at Single-A Potomac, Patrick Anderson at Single-A Hagerstown, Gary Cathcart at short-season Single-A Auburn, Sandy Martinez at the Dominican Summer League Nats and Barrett at the GCL Nats.