BayBears manager moves to the majors

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Mobile BayBears have announced the departure of BayBears Manager Turner Ward. Officials said Ward has accepted the position of assistant hitting coach at the major league level for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Turner Ward era has been one the most successful in franchise history for the BayBears. In 2008, the D-backs announced that the hometown native would become the hitting coach along side manager Hector De La Cruz and he served in that position until being named the manager in 2011. 

In the two years that Ward was at the helm of the BayBears, the franchise won back to back Southern League Championships and was named Baseball America's Minor League Team of the Year in 2011. Ward was also awarded the Southern League Manager of the Year in 2011. 

Ward coached some of the best and most talented prospects to ever come through Mobile and Minor League Baseball including Paul Goldschmidt, Trevor Bauer, Tyler Skaggs, Matt Davidson, A.J. Pollock, and Jarrod Parker, all currently at the major league level.

Former D-backs infielder Andy Green takes over as manager for Double-A Mobile after guiding Rookie-Advanced Missoula to a Pioneer League Championship last season. Green played in 136 games over three seasons with the D-backs and will begin his third year as the manager of a D-backs affiliate. Former Major League pitcher Dan Carlson will serve as the pitching coach for the BayBears for a third consecutive season, his 12th with the organization and Jacob Cruz will take over as hitting coach after serving in the same capacity with Single-A Advanced Visalia in 2012.