The Dodgers announced the hiring of three new trainers as part of a makeover to the training staff.
Stan Conte resigned as vice president of medical services after the 2015 season and assistant athletic trainer Nancy Flynn also left the organization.
In their places, the Dodgers have hired Neil Rampe as the new head athletic trainer with Nathan Lucero and Thomas Albert as assistant athletic trainers. Brandon McDaniel (entering his fourth season as strength and conditioning coach), Steve Smith (fifth season as physical therapist) and Yosuke Nakajima (second season as massage therapist) will return in their same roles for 2016.
Rampe spent the past eight seasons as the manual and performance therapist on the Arizona Diamondbacks’ training staff. Current Dodgers senior vice president for baseball operations Josh Byrnes was the Diamondbacks’ GM when Rampe was hired in Arizona.
Lucero spent the past 23 seasons in the Houston Astros organization, the past seven as the Astros’ head athletic trainer.
Albert spent the past four seasons as the rehab coordinator for the Cleveland Indians.