After spending 17 seasons building successful teams in independent league baseball, Butch Hobson is returning to the minors.

Hobson, a former manager with the Boston Red Sox, will become the 18th manager for the highly successful Kane County Cougars, the Class A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Hobson, 65, made his MLB debut as a player in 1975 with Boston, and later served as manager from 1992-94. A native of Tuscaloosa, Hobson played with the Red Sox (1975-80), Angels (1981) and Yankees (1982). In 738 MLB games, he batted .248 with 107 doubles, 98 home runs and 397 RBI.

Hobson spent the past five seasons managing the Lancaster Barnstormers, an independent team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He also has managed the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (ALPB), and the Nashua Pride (Atlantic League and Can-Am Association). Before managing the Boston Red Sox, he managed minor league clubs in the South Atlantic, Eastern and International leagues.

Cougars officials also announced Thursday that Hobson’s staff includes pitching coach Rich Sauveur, hitting coach Jose Amado, coach Darrin Garner, athletic trainer Joe Rosauer and strength and conditioning coordinator Matt Tenney. The Cougars open the 2017 season on April 6 against the Clinton LumberKings at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva.