Marlins, Pitching Coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. Agree To New Deal
The Marlins have changed managers, but their pitching coach is not going anywhere.
Miami and Mel Stottlemyre Jr. have agreed to a multi-year deal, according to the Miami Herald’s Craig Mish. While terms of the deal were not reported, Mish added that Stottlemyre Jr. is now one of the highest-paid pitching coaches in all of Major League Baseball.
The 58-year-old Stottlemyre Jr., whose late father pitched for the Yankees before coaching in the Bronx and elsewhere, became Miami’s pitching coach under manager Don Mattingly before the 2019 season. Stottlemyre Jr. re-signed on a one-year deal last offseason, so the end of his contract coincided with the end of Mattingly’s tenure, as the former first baseman and the Marlins parted ways after the team went 69-93 in 2022.
The Marlins recently hired Skip Schumaker to be their manager. The 42-year-old Schumaker is a first-time skipper, so retaining Stottlemyre Jr. ensures the Marlins will have some experience on their bench.
Stottlemyre Jr., a former Royals pitcher, has prior experience coaching with the Diamondbacks and Mariners, and he’s overseen a wealth of talent and development in Miami. The Marlins have several young hurlers, none more notable than Sandy Alcantara.
With Stottlemyre Jr. on staff, Alcantara put together a Cy Young caliber season in 2022. The 27-year-old right-hander went 14-9 over 32 starts while leading the major leagues with 228.2 innings pitched. Alcantara also recorded a 2.28 ERA while adding 207 strikeouts and 8.1 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference.
Other talented pitchers under Stottlemyre Jr.’s tutelage include Pablo López, Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, Jesús Luzardo, Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, Sixto Sánchez, Trevor Rogers and Jake Eder.
While that group has dealt with injuries, the Marlins could look to deal some arms this offseason given their young depth. López’s name came up in trade rumors prior to the deadline in August, but nothing materialized.
