Neil Rampe (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
Neil Rampe, who has been the Arizona Diamondbacks’ manual and performance therapist since 2008, has been officially announced as the Dodgers’ new athletic trainer, replacing former vice president of medical services Stan Conte.
In addition, Nathan Lucero, who has been the Houston Astros’ head athletic trainer for seven seasons, and Thomas Albert, formerly with Cleveland, will be the Dodgers’ assistant athletic trainers.
Rampe will oversee all of the Dodgers’ medical programs, including athletic training, physical therapy, rehabilitation and strength and conditioning, as well as the training, strength and conditioning of Dodger minor league players.
He began his career as the assistant strength and conditioning coach in the University of Minnesota athletic department, then served as a certified athletic trainer at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Colorado from 2002-03.
That was followed by five years at the University of Arizona from 2003-07 as associate director of performance enhancement. He joined the Diamondbacks in 2008.
Jose Altuve of the Astros is attended to by trainer Nate Lucero in 2014. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Lucero spent 23 seasons in all with the Astros, including 14 seasons in the minors and two seasons as the team’s Major League assistant strength and conditioning coordinator before his promotion.
Albert joins the Dodgers following four seasons in the Indians’ organization as rehab coordinator. He also served as an athletic trainer for the Harlem Globetrotters from 2002-08.
Returning to the training staff in their same roles are Brandon McDaniel (strength & conditioning coach, fourth season), Steve Smith (physical therapist, fifth season) and Yosuke “Possum” Nakajima (massage therapist, second season).
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