TONY CAPPUCCILLI – MANAGER
Tony Cappuccilli began his professional coaching career with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the Detroit Tigers organization brought him aboard in 2022, serving as bench coach for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
Cappuccilli comes to Erie fresh off leading the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps to a remarkable 92–39 regular season record and a Midwest League Championship — earning Baseball America's Minor League Team of the Year honors. The 2025 Whitecaps were considered one of the greatest teams in Midwest League history, a testament to the culture and competitive standard he established in the dugout.
Tony's move to Erie is designed to provide continuity for the Tigers' top prospects, as many of the players Cappuccilli developed in West Michigan will advance with him to the Double-A level. Cappuccilli is ready to help guide Detroit's next wave of talent toward the big leagues — and deliver more winning baseball to Erie fans along the way.
NICK GREEN – PITCHING COACH
Nick Green is in his 4th season as a pitching coach in the Tigers organization. In 2023 and 2024, Green served as the pitching coach for Single-A Lakeland before being promoted to High-A West Michigan in 2025.
In 2017, Green began his coaching career with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He then served as pitching coach for the Short-Season A Lowell Spinners in 2018-19. After the canceled 2020 season, Green was pitching coach for the Salem Red Sox (2021-22) before joining the Tigers organization in 2023. Under Green in 2025, the Whitecaps pitching staff led the Midwest League with a 3.17 ERA.
Green was 35th-round pick in the 2004 amateur draft by the Anaheim Angels. He spent five seasons in the Angels system, reaching Triple-A Salt Lake. He later spent time in the Brewers organization and went on to pitch several productive seasons in independent ball before concluding his playing career in 2016. He also had a three-season stint in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.
KYLE MACKINNON – HITTING COACH
Kyle MacKinnon enters his first season with the Tigers organization. He joins the Erie staff after serving as an assistant hitting coach with the Kansas City Royals organization at Single-A Columbia (2024) and High-A Quad Cities (2025). MacKinnon spent 2023 as a minor league apprentice coach with the Houston Astros after a brief stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks as a minor league coach. Before entering the professional ranks, MacKinnon coached collegiately at McPherson College (NAIA). During MacKinnon’s tenure as head coach, the Bulldogs set a school record for wins in a season (40-14 in 2022).
NICK FRANKLIN – BENCH COACH
Nick Franklin was a 2009 first-round draft pick (27th overall) of the Seattle Mariners. He made his MLB debut in 2013 and batted .214 over 301 MLB games with Seattle, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles (AL). In 2014, he was traded, along with SeaWolves alumnus Drew Smyly, to Tampa Bay in a three-team deal that brought David Price to the Tigers.