Legendary Brewers minor league manager earns promotion to new role in organization

Around this time last year, I sat down with Javik Blake, the award-winning broadcaster of the Milwaukee Brewers' Double-A affiliate, the Biloxi Shuckers, to recap the 2024 season and preview what lay ahead in 2025.

One of the first things we discussed was the many obstacles that the Shuckers faced in 2024. Among them was a freak injury to 2023 first-round draft pick Brock Wilken and the team having to overcome the graduation of many of their best pitchers, including Jacob Misiorowski, to Triple-A. The result was an up-and-down season that saw the Shuckers finish last in the Southern League's South Division during the first half of the season, but still qualify for the postseason after an incredible second-half resurgence.

Blake cited the leadership of manager Joe Ayrault as a key reason for the team's resilience through the trials and tribulations that they faced during the 2024 season. Ayrault's motto of "Be a Buffalo," which Blake explained to me means running head-on into the storm rather than away from it, was a guiding principle for a team constantly tested by new challenges. The biggest challenge came in June of 2024, when Ayrault was diagnosed with colon cancer and had to step away from the team for the rest of the season. But his team stuck to his motto and persevered through the challenge. Ayrault persevered himself and made a full recovery. By the time the 2025 season began, the long-time Brewers minor league coach was back in the Shuckers' dugout managing what turned out to be one of the most successful teams in franchise history.

Now, Ayrault, who has been managing in the Brewers' minor league system since the 2010 season, has earned a promotion to a new position in Milwaukee's organization, as revealed by the team yesterday afternoon.

Long-time Brewers minor league manager Joe Ayrault promoted to organization's Field Coordinator ahead of 2026 season

Throughout Ayrault's 16 seasons as a manager in the Brewers' minor league system, he's coached the Helena Brewers, the Brevard County Manatees, the Carolina Mudcats, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, and most recently the Shuckers for the past two seasons. Much of the current Brewers' roster at one point or another played for Ayrault, whose impact on the organization cannot be overstated.

Now, Ayrault is being rewarded for his efforts with a promotion to the position of Field Coordinator in the Brewers' organization. Field Coordinators generally take on a number of different responsibilities, and the job can differ from organization to organization, but it generally involves aligning the philosophies of all of the minor league affiliates with the overall guiding principles of the organization to create consistency throughout. Ayrault, given his years of experience in the Brewers' minor league system, is the perfect man for the job.

Mike Guerrero, who previously served as the manager of the Shuckers for eight seasons, will return to the role in 2026 for what will be his 27th overall season as a minor league manager. Some other notable developments from yesterday's announcements include Eddy Morgan, who was the manager of Concordia University Wisconsin's (CUW) baseball team for the last 12 seasons, being named the new skipper of the Brewers' Low-A affiliate -- the brand-new Wilson Warbirds -- and former Brewers relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg being named the Triple-A Nashville Sounds' new pitching coach. Additionally, 2025 Brewers coaches Julio Borbón and Al LeBoeuf have been reassigned to roles as special advisors in the player development department.