Report: SF Giants add former Twins pitching coach to Bob Melvin's staff
The SF Giants have made another addition to manager Bob Melvin's coaching staff. According to a report by Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle on Monday night, the Giants are expected to announce Garvin Alston as the team's bullpen coach. Alston has been a pitching coach for the Giants Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento for the past three seasons and has received rave reviews from several arms throughout the organization. He becomes the 10th coach to join Melvin's staff.
Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios talks with pitching coach Garvin Alston. (2018)
Peter G. Aiken
"He's been great," Giants pitcher Sean Hjelle told Giants Baseball Insider about Alston earlier this year. "He's been really good for me on the field, but also just helping me understand how it all works and balancing that up and down. Getting optioned, getting sent back down there and keeping me where I need to be and staying in my lane, keeping my head level, and just getting after hitters."
"Everyone has some coaches who stand out for them, and he's one of those guys fro me," Giants pitcher Tristan Beck told GBI about Alston shortly after his first big-league call up.
Alston began his career in professional baseball when he was drafted by the Rockies in the 1992 draft out of Florida International. He appeared in six big-league games with Colorado during the 1996 season, but played in the minor and independent leagues through 2003.
After a short break from the game, Alston joined the Oakland Athletics as a pitching coach with the team's Single-A affiliate in 2005. Over the next decade, Alston moved up Oakland's organizational ladder, working as a minor league rehab and pitching coordinator before he was hired as the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen coach prior to the 2016 season.
Alston rejoined the A's as their bullpen coach in 2017 before becoming the Minnesota Twins pitching coach in 2018. However, the Twins hired a new manager following the season, which led to Alston's departure.
