Miami Marlins complete big-league coaching staff with hire and two internal promotions
Don Mattingly’s coaching staff for the 2022 season is complete.
The Miami Marlins announced Wednesday they hired Marcus Thames as hitting coach and promoted Al Pedrique and Edwar Gonzalez to the big-league club.
Pedrique, who spent last year as the manager of Miami’s Triple A affiliate, will be the club’s new third base coach. Gonzalez, previously the Marlins’ minor-league hitting coordinator, will serve as assistant hitting coach.
They replace Robert Rodriguez and Trey Hillman, both of whom chose to pursue opportunities outside the organization, as well as Eric Duncan, who is now a quality assurance coach after serving as Miami’s hitting coach in the 2021 season.
Prior to being hired by the Marlins, Thames had been on the New York Yankees’ coaching staff since 2016, first as assistant hitting coach and then as the main hitting coach since 2018. His contract was not renewed after the 2021 season.
As a player, Thames was a .246 hitter with 115 home runs and 301 RBI in 640 games spanning 10 seasons, two of which were with the Yankees. He began coaching in the Yankees’ minor-league system in 2013, shortly after retiring from playing.
Pedrique, meanwhile, just finished his first year in the Marlins organization, managing the team’s Triple A affiliate in Jacksonville. He has seven years of MLB coaching experience. Prior to joining the Marlins, he spent three years with the Athletics (third base coach in 2019 and 2020, first base coach in 2018), three years with the Houston Astros (bench coach in 2010 and 2011, third base coach in 2009) and one year with the Arizona Diamondbacks (third base coach and interim manager in 2004).
Gonzalez has been in the Marlins’ organization the past two years after previously spending nine seasons in the Yankees organization.
The rest of the Marlins’ coaching staff includes bench coach James Rowson, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., first base coach Keith Johnson, catching coach Eddy Rodriguez, bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda and bullpen coordinator Rob Flippo.
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