LANSING – The Lansing Lugnuts are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays to extend their player development contract through the 2010 season.

"The Blue Jays are extremely happy to be in Lansing through 2010," Toronto's Director of Player Development Dick Scott said. "We have a terrific relationship with the Lugnuts' front office and the city of Lansing. It's just a great place for our players to come and develop."

Since becoming a Blue Jays affiliate in 2005, the Lugnuts have posted a 220-195 record and have had a winning season each year. Last season the Lugnuts posted their best win total in franchise history with 78 victories during the regular season. It was also tops among the Blue Jays minor league affiliates.

"We are very excited to continue our relationship with the Blue Jays," Lugnuts General Manager Pat Day said. "It is our goal to bring quality talent to the city of Lansing, and the Blue Jays have been a terrific partner in helping us achieve that lofty expectation on a yearly basis."

The Blue Jays have also announced the names of the 2008 Lugnuts coaching staff. Clayton McCullough will become the eighth manager in Lugnuts history, as he takes over for Gary Cathcart who spent one season in the capital city and has been promoted to be the head man at Double-A New Hampshire. Joining McCullough will be new hitting coach Justin Mashore, returning pitching coach Tom Signore, and second-year trainer Bob Tarpey.

McCullough, 27, will assume the role as manager in Lansing after leading the Gulf Coast League Jays to a 36-24 record last season, his only year as a manager. Before managing, McCullough spent time in the Jays organization as the hitting coach for Pulaski in 2006 and as a volunteer coach at East Carolina University. The Greenville, North Carolina native was a 22nd round selection of the Cleveland Indians in 2002 as a catcher. He played four seasons in the Indians organization before joining the Blue Jays.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to come to Lansing and join an organization like the Lugnuts," McCullough said. "We have had some pretty strong teams there since 2005, and I hope that we can continue that success on the field this season."

Mashore, 35, will take over the duties as the Lugnuts hitting coach in 2008. He replaces three-year coach Charles Poe, who has been assigned to the same role with the Gulf Coast League Jays. Mashore enters his fourth year as a coach in the Blue Jays system. He has spent the last two seasons with the short-season Auburn Doubledays, where he helped lead them to a New York - Penn League championship last season. Under his guidance, the Doubledays were one of the most prolific offenses in the circuit as they hit .253 last season and pounded a league best 58 homers. Mashore was a fifth round selection of the Detroit Tigers in 1991 and spent 11 seasons in the minor leagues with six organizations. He now resides in Mesa, Arizona.

Signore, 45, will begin his third season as the pitching coach for the Lugnuts. Signore's 2007 pitching staff posted a 3.92 ERA, helping the Lugnuts to their best win total in franchise history. This will mark the fourth season in the Blue Jays organization for Signore, and 11th overall as a pitching coach in minor league baseball. Signore is a graduate of Quinnipiac College, where he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1994. He now makes his off-season home in Syracuse, New York.

Tarpey, 27, returns for his second season in the Midwest League as the team's athletic trainer. Tarpey began his career as an intern with the big league club during spring training in 2003 before joing the Blue Jays organization full-time. He is a graduate from the University of Maine at Inesque-Isle and currently resides in York, Maine.

The Lugnuts' 13th season will begin on Thursday, April 3, 2008 when they visit the Fort Wayne Wizards. The team will open it's home schedule four days later on Monday, April 7 when they host the South Bend SilverHawks. Season tickets are on-sale now and can be purchased for as little as $54 by visiting www.lansinglugnuts.com or by calling (517) 485-4500.