Esposito, 45, had already taken some of the traditional bench coach responsibilities. His prior title had been game strategy assistant. He’ll continue to work as one of Shildt’s top lieutenants. A former catcher who appeared in three MLB games amidst a 13-year professional playing career, Esposito has worked in the San Diego organization for the past three years.

The rest of the staff is as follows: pitching coach Ruben Niebla, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, third base coach/infield instructor Tim Leiper, first base coach/outfield instructor David Macias, assistant hitting coaches Pat O’Sullivan and Mike McCoy, game planning assistant Peter Summerville, bullpen catcher Heberto Andrade, and coaching assistant Morgan Burkhart. Niebla, one of the game’s most respected pitching voices, inked a multi-year extension last month.

Aside from Esposito’s title change, there’s only one adjustment. Former field coordinator Ryan Barba is no longer on the coaching staff. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com writes that Barba is expected to remain with the organization in the player development department.

• The Pirates announced that they signed right-hander Logan Kensing to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training.  The 29-year-old spent the 2011 campaign with the Yankees' top affiliate after recovering from elbow surgery in 2010.
• The Reds signed catchers Brian Esposito and Brian Peacock to minor league deals, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
• The Tigers signed utility player Eric Patterson to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.
• The Mets signed right-hander Jeff Stevens and utility player Corey Wimberly to minor league deals, tweets Eddy.
• The A's signed right-handers Travis Schlichting and Merkin Valdez and left-hander Fabio Castro to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
• The Yankees signed right-hander Adam Miller and outfielders Cole Garner and Dewayne Wise to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
• The Diamondbacks signed first baseman Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.  Before playing, Jacobs still must serve a 50-game suspension for positive a HGH test in August.  He was cut by the Rockies following the test.
• The Marlins picked up right-handers Chad Gaudin and Rob Delaney on minor league deals, Eddy tweets.  In nine big league seasons, Gaudin has a 4.63 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9.  Delaney spent most of 2011 with the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 1.86 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.
• The Dodgers signed third baseman Josh Fields, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).
• The Cubs signed Joe Mather as Triple-A outfield insurance, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).  Mather spent 36 games on the Braves' major league roster in 2011.
• The Nationals have signed right-hander Dan Cortes, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter).
• Speaking of the Braves, Atlanta released former Rangers draftee Marcus Lemon, Goldstein tweets.  Lemon was acquired in a March trade for a PTBNL.
• P.J. Phillips, the younger brother of Brandon Phillips, agreed to a deal with the Reds, tweets Goldstein.  The younger Phillips' career never got going due to plate discipline issues.
• The Blue Jays signed former Angels/Braves relief prospect Stephen Marek, Goldstein tweets.  The right-hander was outrighted by Atlanta in November and underwent Tommy John surgery in May.
• The White Sox signed 2000 first-round pick Corey Smith, Goldstein tweets.  The 29-year-old has never reached the Majors.

• The Reds have signed catcher Brian Esposito to a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training, reports Stephen Goff of Examiner.com. The 32-year-old hasn't appeared in the big leagues since 2010, and hit .197/.227/.255 in 168 plate appearances in the Astros' farm system this past season. Goff notes that Esposito has a reputation of working well with young pitchers and essentially serving as an extra coach. 

• Left-hander Sean Henn re-signed with Toronto, a week after the Blue Jays granted him free agency.  Henn spent his 2010 season pitching for the Jays' Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, posting a 4.73 ERA in 38 games (nine of them starts).
• The Dodgers re-signed a number of players with major league experience, such as J.D. Closser, Tim Corcoran and Travis Denker.  Los Angeles also re-signed 11-year veteran Corey Smith, who has yet to get a cup of coffee in the bigs after being drafted 26th overall by Cleveland in the 2000 amateur draft.
• Luis Mendoza re-signed with Kansas City.  The right-hander has an 8.43 ERA in 36 career major league appearances, 14 of which were starts, with the Rangers and Royals.
• Houston re-signed Brian Esposito and Wladimir Sutil, both of whom were recently removed from the club's 40-man roster.  In addition, the Astros re-signed Oswaldo Navarro, who picked up 25 plate appearances for Houston last season.

• The Astros removed three players from their 40-man roster, outrighting Brian Esposito, Anderson Hernandez, and Wladimir Sutil to Triple-A, according to a team release.
• Jeremy Hermida appreciates that the Athletics allowed him to reach free agency early in the offseason, says Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• Troy Renck of the Denver Post asked Lance Berkman about the possibility of coming to Colorado for next season, and Berkman said he might be interested (Twitter links). Of course, the 34-year-old will be looking for an everyday role, and Todd Helton is still very much in the first base picture for the Rockies.
• In a separate tweet, Renck adds that even with Jarrod Saltalamacchia under contract, the Red Sox could still inquire on Chris Iannetta this winter.
• Fangraphs' Jack Moore argues that Paul Janish's play at shortstop should prompt the Reds to turn down Orlando Cabrera's 2011 option. Yesterday, over 80% of you opined that Cincinnati wouldn't exercise Cabrera's option.
• The Triple-A Portland Beavers will be sold to a group led by Padres owner Jeff Moorad, as J. Harry Jones of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. If everything proceeds as planned, the club will play in Tucson in 2011 and then move permanently to Escondido in 2012, according to Jones and Josh Leventhal of Baseball America.