Martin returns to Fisher Cats

MANCHESTER — The Toronto Blue Jays have announced the 2022 coaching staff for their Double-A affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

 The majority of the team’s 2021 staff will return to New Hampshire for a second consecutive season, including manager Cesar Martin (SAY-zar Mar-TEEN), pitching coach Jim Czajkowski (Sigh-COW-ski), hitting coach Matt Hague, and position coach Chris Schaeffer.

 Martin , 42, led a Fisher Cats team that ranked first in on-base percentage (.341) and second in batting average (.259) in the Double-A Northeast League last season. New Hampshire steadily improved throughout the 2021 campaign under Martin, posting a season-best 14-11 record in the final full month of the season. The San Pedro de Macoris, D.R. native has steadily risen through the Blue Jays’ organization over the last few years. He managed the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts for two seasons, and earned a promotion to Advanced-A Dunedin after an 80-60 campaign in 2018.

 Czajkowski, 58, continues his second stint in New Hampshire after previously holding the role in 2014. Before rejoining the Fisher Cats last season, Czajkowski, the Parma, Ohio, native had spent the previous six years as pitching coach for the Short Season-A Vancouver Canadians (2015, 2017-18) and Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays (2016, 2019). After a 12-year professional career that included five MLB games with the Colorado Rockies in 1994, Czajkowski became the pitching coach of the Rookie-Level Danville Braves in 2000. He remained in the Braves system until 2011, when he joined the Blue Jays organization as the Vancouver Canadians pitching coach (2011-2013).

 Hague, 36, made his minor league coaching debut on the Fisher Cats staff last season. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Hague in the ninth round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State, and he played in 43 career MLB games with the Pirates and Blue Jays.

 Schaeffer returns for a second season as position coach. Schaeffer, 34, spent parts of four seasons in the Blue Jays farm system, including two games with New Hampshire in 2013.

 Rounding out the staff are returning athletic trainer Luke Green and strength and conditioning Coach Casey Callison, along with five new faces: development coach Matt Von Roemer, bullpen/assistant pitching coach Daniel Tucker, mental performance coach Raul Pimentel, dietician Geoff Stallman, and video coordinator Kevin McCarthy.

 The Fisher Cats home opener is on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:35 p.m. against the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies).

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