For the second consecutive year, Julio Morillo will lead the Daytona Tortugas.

The club announced its coaching staff, headlined by the return of its 31-year-old manager, for the 2024 season Friday. Along with Morillo, pitching coach Willie Blair, assistant coach Lenny Harris and strength and conditioning coach Dominic Cothern are also back. Blair and Cothern made their Tortugas’ debuts last year while Harris will enter his fourth campaign with the team.

The new members of the staff include hitting coach Nate Irving, assistant coach Osmin Melendez, athletic trainer Sam Tedtman and video and technology specialist Hassan Said.

During his first season in Daytona Beach, Morillo’s team posted a 56-72 record and finished third in the Florida State League East. The former catching prospect, who played four games for the Tortugas in 2015, is preparing for his third season overall as a skipper in the Reds’ system.

RACING: Bubba Wallace adds Rolex Weekend Daytona race to his schedule; will drive a Toyota Supra

Like Morillo, Irving is a 31-year-old who caught in the minor leagues. He served as the hitting coach of the Reds’ Arizona Complex League affiliate in 2023. Before that, he held the bench coach role for Double-A Chattanooga in 2022 and was Cincinnati’s bullpen catcher from 2019-21.

Melendez, 48, spent last year with the High-A Dayton Dragons. He played two seasons as an infielder in the Baltimore Orioles system in 1993-94 and previously worked in the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs organizations.

Tedtman helped the ACL Reds in 2023 and the Dominican Summer League affiliate in 2022. Said will join Daytona Beach for his first season under the Cincinnati umbrella.

The Tortugas will kick off their 2024 schedule April 5 at St. Lucie. Their home opener at Jackie Robinson Ballpark will take place April 9 against Palm Beach.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Tortugas announce 2024 coaching staff