Rafael
(Raf) Melchione
Owner/General Manager
of Arizona Core Baseball
Rafael
played professionally from 1995 to 2002
with stops in the Athletics and Angels organizations. In the
off-seasons, Rafael began instructing
hitting and developed a proven methodology
for teaching the proper swing. He has
served as a hitting instructor for many
major and minor league players, as an
instructor for the Chicago Cubs and
San Francisco Giants, and as Hitting
Coach for the Mesa Miners, and the Reno
Silver Sox. The Silver Sox led the independent
Golden League in hitting in 2006 and
Rafael was selected as a Golden League
All-Star Hitting Coach. In 2007, Rafael
decided to devote full time to Arizona Core Baseball / Big League
Baseball Instruction to continue the
excellence started several years ago.
In 2009, Rafael returned to professional coaching with the Sioux City Explorers (AA). Rafael trained under former Dodger slugger
Reggie Smith and legendary hitting instructor,
Jim Lefebvre. Raf is personally responsible
for placing over 180 of ACB's students
into college programs.
Among the players Raf has tutored
are:
• Geoff
Jenkins - Philadelphia Phillies (MLB
All-Star)
• Howie Kendrick - LA Angels
• Jacob
Cruz - New York Mets
• Marcus
Jensen - 7 Year Major Leaguer
• Victor
Hall - Philadelphia Phillies (AAA)
• John Gaston - Houston Astros (A)
• Daniel Butler - Red Sox (A)
• Josh
LeBlanc - Anaheim Angels (A)
• Barry
Ginther - San Francisco Giants (A)
• C.J.
Lang - Chicago White Sox (A)
• Tyler
Johnson - Anaheim Angels (A)
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Victor
(Vic) Hall
Director of Operations
Hitting Coach
/ Outfield Coach
• Drafted by Diamondbacks in 1998 at age 17
• Played 9 years of professional baseball with Diamondbacks, Astros, Mets, Yankees, and Phillies.
• Made two stops at the Major League level with Astros and Mets
• Trained under and with former Dodger slugger Reggie Smith and legendary hitting coach Jim Lefebvre
• Tallied 341 career stolen bases
“He not only has good speed, he has world-class speed. This is one of the fastest guys in the big leagues.”
- Gerry Hunsicker, Houston Astros General Manager
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Desi
Wilson
Lead Instructor and Hitting Coach
• Played
his college baseball at Fairleigh Dickinson
University
• Only
player to go on to MLB from that school
• Drafted
by the Texas Rangers
• Made
his major league debut with the San
Francisco Giants on August 7, 1996
• Desi
played 16 seasons of professional baseball
• Currently the hitting coach for Cubs Peoria Class A Affiliate
• Amassed
an amazing 1,875 hits in his pro career
• Finished with a .311 lifetime batting
average!
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Marcus
Jensen
Hitting Coach
/ Catching Coach
• Made
his big league debut in April of 1996
• Played
7 seasons of major league baseball
• Played
for Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Minnesota, Texas and Boston.
• In
2006, led the Golden League in hitting
• Led
the Reno Silver Sox to 2006 championship
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Nick McCoola
Hitting Coach
/ Infield Coach
• Played his college baseball at Wichita State University
• 3 Year Starter at SS for the Shockers
• Played professionally with the Souix City Explorers
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Nate Maldonado
Hitting Coach
/ Catching Coach
• Local Product of Agua Fria High Sschool
• LA Angels of Anaheim Bullpen Catcher
• Roving Catching Instructor for LA Angels Pro Scout Teams
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Chris
Marini
Hitting Coach
/ Pitching Coach
• Local
product of Ironwood High School in Glendale
• 2001
Region Player of the Year and 1st Team
All Arizona
• Played
at Glendale CC and the University of
Arizona
• 2003 Baseball America 1st Team All-American
• 10th
round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins
in 2003
• Four
years of professional baseball as a
pitcher and an outfielder in the Twins and Rangers
organizations
• Coached
at Centennial HS and Glendale
CC
• Played
for Mesa Miners and the Reno Silver
Sox of the Golden Baseball League
• 2006
Golden League All-Star
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Nelson
Figueroa
Pitching Coach
•
Drafted by the New York Mets
• Made his big league debut in
2000
• Pitched for Diamondbacks,
Brewers, Phillies, Pirates
• MVP of 2007 Taiwan Series gathering 3 wins (Gm 7)
• Currently pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies
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Edgar Varela
Hitting Coach
• Played at Long Beach State University
• Selected by Detroit Tigers in 1998 Amatuer Draft
• 5 Years of Professional Baseball with White Sox, Diamondbacks and Marlins
• Currently
a hitting coach with the Pittsburg Pirates
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Jody
Martinez
Hitting Coach
/ Infield Coach
• Played
professionally for 8 years
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Kory DeHaan
Hitting Coach
• Played at Morningside College
• Drafted in the 7th Round by Pittsburg Pirates in 1997
• Rule 5 Draft to San Diego Padres in 2000
• Made his MLB debut on April 5, 2000 with San Diego
• Played 7 years of professional baseball
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Scott Schneider
Pitching Coach
• Played college baseball at Norfolk State University
• Drafted by Anaheim Angels in 12th round of 2000 amateur draft
• 6 years pro baseball with LA Angels, 2000-2005
• Reached AAA in 2005
• 3 years pro baseball with Reno Silver Sox, 2006-2008
• Set record in 2006 for saves in a season
• Player/Coach for Silver Sox in 2008
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Dwayne
Boxwell
Technical Services
and Baseball Logistics
Dwayne is responsible
for ACB's technical
services and baseball logisitics.He is a former
college and Valley League player. Back
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