Gerald Laird will get his managerial career started in the Detroit Tigers' organization.
Laird, who played for the Tigers for three seasons, will manage Class A Connecticut, according to the team.
Laird, 37, played parts of 13 seasons in the majors. He retired after one game with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015.
Laird spent 2009-10 with the Tigers and returned in 2012. He will take over for another former Tigers catcher, Mike Rabelo, who was promoted to Class A West Michigan for 2017.
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Many of the minor league field staff and roving personnel assignments already had been reported.