Local star Grifol comes home to South Florida to coach FIU baseball
Florida International University did not go the traditional route in its search for a new head baseball coach.
Instead, the Panthers on Friday handed the program to a former Major League Baseball manager with a World Series ring, deep Miami roots and decades of professional baseball experience. Pedro Grifol became the sixth head coach in program history.
Grifol, who managed the Chicago White Sox during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, returns to South Florida after spending more than two decades in professional baseball as a manager, scout and player development coach.
The hire represents a major investment in the future of FIU baseball as the Panthers attempt to become more competitive in South Florida’s talent powerhouse recruiting landscape. By bringing in a coach with extensive ties to Miami and Puerto Rico, FIU is betting Grifol can help elevate the program in the rapidly changing college athletics environment.
“Miami is one of the most talent-rich baseball communities in the country,” Grifol said in a statement. “FIU possesses all the essential ingredients to build a championship-caliber program.”
For Grifol, the move is a return home. The 56-year-old starred at Miami Columbus High School, where he was named Florida’s 4A High School Player of the Year in 1988 before continuing his baseball career at Florida State.
Grifol was a sixth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Twins in in 1991 and spent nine seasons in the minor leagues with the Twins and New York Mets organizations before he transitioned to coaching.
Before becoming a major-league manager, Grifol built a lengthy resume in scouting and player development. He spent 13 seasons in the Seattle Mariners organization and also managed internationally in the Venezuelan and Dominican winter leagues.
From 2013 to 2022, Grifol served the Kansas City Royals in coaching and player development roles and was instrumental in World Series appearances in 2014 and 2015. The Royals beat the Mets in five Games to win the World Series in 2015.
He finished out his time in the majors with the Chicago White Sox, where he managed the team from 2023-2024.
FIU athletic director Scott Carr said Grifol’s professional baseball background and recruiting experience in South Florida and Puerto Rico made him an ideal fit for the position. Carr also emphasized the importance of building support around the baseball program as college athletics continues to evolve through NIL opportunities and revenue sharing.
FIU parted ways with former head coach Rich Witten, on Thursday after four seasons and a 19-35 finish in 2026, one day before announcing Grifol as his replacement.
“Grifol has an analytical approach to today’s modern game,” Carr said in a statement. “Building a winning program in today’s Division I landscape takes significant financial investment.”
During his time with the Royals, Grifol worked closely with catcher Salvador Perez, who earned five consecutive All-Star starts and multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
Former FIU standout and two-time World Series champion Mike Lowell praised the hire in an X post.
“Bringing in a former major-league manager to guide the Panthers is great news.” Lowell wrote. “Looking forward to a great future for FIU Baseball.”
The Panthers have not yet announced details for Grifol’s introductory news conference.
For FIU, the hire signals an ambitious attempt to raise the profile of a program looking to compete in one of the nation’s deepest baseball recruiting territories.
For Grifol, it represents a homecoming to the city where his baseball career first began.
