Dayton Dragons announce 2018 coaching staff

Luis Bolivar will return as Dayton Dragons manager after guiding the team to the postseason in his first season at the helm.

The Cincinnati Reds low Single-A affiliate made that announcement and unveiled its 2018 coaching staff Tuesday.

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Seth Etherton will serve as pitching coach while Daryle Ward returns as hitting coach and Kevin Mahar will be the bench coach for a second consecutive year.

Dayton went 71-69 overall in its first season with Bolivar as manager. The Dragons advanced to the Midwest League Eastern Division Championship series, where the Dragons lost to Fort Wayne in three games.

They won only 47 games in 2016.

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A Venezuela native who became a U.S. citizen in midseason last year, Bolivar has a long history with the club. He started as an all-star player with the team and became the hitting coach soon after retiring as a player.

Bolivar’s task this season is likely to include grooming one of baseball’s highest-profile prospects.

Hunter Greene, a high school pitcher and shortstop taken with the No. 2 pick in the draft last season, has already been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and is the team's No. 2 prospect according to MLB.com.

He made his professional debut last season in rookie ball at Billings, Mont., where Etherton was the pitching coach the past two years.

Where he plays this season has not been announced, but all signs point to Greene being a Dragon.

RELATED: Greene already knows about big crowds in Dayton

The Dragons open the season April 5 at Bowling Green.

The home opener at Fifth Third Field is two days later against the same squad.

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