The Chattanooga Lookouts have their coaching staff set for the 2017 season, which will be their third as the Class AA affiliates of the Minnesota Twins.
Lookouts first-year manager Jake Mauer will be assisted by pitching coach Ivan Arteaga, who had the same role last season under then-manager Doug Mientkiewicz, and new hitting coach Javier Valentin. Mauer, the older brother of 13-year Twins standout Joe Mauer, was announced as Chattanooga's manager earlier this month.
Valentin was a third-round pick of the Twins in 1993 and spent parts of 10 seasons in the major leagues. His most productive year came in 2005, when he hit .281 with 14 home runs as the Cincinnati Reds' backup catcher.
Last season's hitting coach for the Lookouts, Tommy Watkins, is the new manager for Cedar Rapids (Iowa), the Single-A affiliate of the Twins in the Midwest League. Valentin served as the hitting coach of the Gulf Coast League Twins in Fort Myers, Fla., in 2016.
The Lookouts finished fifth among the 10 Southern League teams in pitching last season under Arteaga with a 3.60 earned run average. Chattanooga posted a solid 75-65 overall record but missed out on the playoffs after winning the league championship in 2015.
Arteaga came to Chattanooga before last season after spending 2015 as the pitching coach of high Single-A Fort Myers in the Florida State League. He was pitching coach with Cedar Rapids in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
The Lookouts also announced that Chris Johnson would be back for a third season as the team trainer, while Ryan Grose will be their new strength coach.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.