by Shawn Nowlin
While Ozzie Chavez doesn’t go around boasting about his accomplishments, his resume does speak for itself. Across 1,161 games over 12 minor league baseball seasons, he hit .245/.306/.322. He also played winter ball for several years in the Dominican League.
A decade ago, he joined the Boston Red Sox organization. In 2016, he was hired as the hitting coach for DSL Red Sox 2. In 2023, he became the bench coach for the Salem Red Sox. Last year, he was hired as the organization’s general manager.
The Salem Red Sox (56-74, 30-36) defeated the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (69-63, 33-33) 3-2 on Sept. 7 for the last game of the season. After the contest, Chavez told team reporter Braden Schenck, “My mindset was just to win the game. Greats like Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Roman Anthony have all come through this organization. Tonight, we felt all of their spirits on the field.”
“The Salem Red Sox represent a very special organization for my family and me, and I am truly honored to have this opportunity to be the team’s general manager,” he later said in a press release. “I firmly believe we have all the elements in place to add to the great tradition here.”
The season began on April 4 when the team defeated the Delmarva Shorebirds. Over the next five months, Chavez’s leadership tactics seamlessly aligned with the values of the Salem Red Sox brass.
One of Tamar Richardson’s favorite summer traditions is to take in a Salem Red Sox game when his family visits from out of town.
“I’ve learned over the years that fans have different expectations. For me, it’s about enjoying a good game and making memories with my loved ones,” he said. “For others, they only enjoy themselves if their team wins in dominant fashion. Since 2018, every time my family has visited from Kansas, we have taken in a game.”
An organization doesn’t win a championship in one night, but rather a culmination of consistent actions. It is more than possible that over the next decade, Chavez will play a vital role in the best years of the organization’s history.
“The 16 year era of the Salem Red Sox came to an end in ballgame number 2,182 in its current identity. Fans shouldn’t worry though,” Schenck said. “Baseball will return to Carilion Clinic Field next season, so will the Red Sox single-a affiliate; they will just be repping a new name.
For additional information, visit https://www.milb.com/salem.
