Marlins Officially Announce 2026 Coaching Staff with Five Coaching Changes
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The Miami Marlins finalized their 2026 coaching staff under manager Clayton McCullough, who's entering his second season after a successful 79-win debut campaign. The roster features seven returning coaches and five new additions to support the organization's development-focused approach.
Miami Marlins Add Five New Coaches to 2026 Staff
The Marlins announced the changes via their official Twitter account. The moves come after four coaches from the 2025 staff departed for promotions elsewhere, including assistant hitting coach Derek Shomon (White Sox hitting coach), assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman (Rockies pitching coach), catching coach Joe Singley (Orioles field coordinator), and infield coach Tyler Smarslok (Nationals field coordinator).
The five new additions are:
- Blake Butler, infield coach
- Chris Hess, assistant hitting coach
- Corbin Day, assistant hitting coach
- Craig Driver, first base coach and catching instructor
- Rob Marcello, assistant pitching coach
Introducing our 2026 coaching staff! pic.twitter.com/f9jSj0bXTa
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) December 16, 2025
Butler joins after leading the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers to an 88-43 record in 2025. The 32-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates organization veteran earned South Atlantic League Manager of the Year honors. His Grasshoppers squad led the South Atlantic League in home runs with 165 while posting one of the best records in minor league baseball.
Hess and Day join Pedro Guerrero to create Miami's first three-person hitting staff since 2024. Hess comes from the Boston Red Sox system, where his Double-A Portland team led the Eastern League in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS in 2024.
Day spent 2025 as an Advanced Scout for Run Production with the Minnesota Twins after his High-A Cedar Rapids squad dominated Midwest League offensive categories in 2023.
Driver takes over first base and catching duties after two seasons as the Los Angeles Dodgers' catching coordinator. He previously worked with McCullough on the Dodgers staff, bringing established chemistry to Miami.
Marcello earns his promotion from within after guiding Triple-A Jacksonville's championship-winning pitching staff in 2025. The 35-year-old worked with top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling during Jacksonville's International League title run.
Seven Coaches Return From McCullough's 2025 Staff
The returning coaches are:
- Pedro Guerrero, hitting coach
- Daniel Moskos, pitching coach
- Brandon Mann, bullpen coach
- Blake Lalli, third base coach
- Carson Vitale, bench coach
- Aaron Leanhardt, field coordinator
- Bryson Nakamura, major league strategist
Guerrero leads the hitting department after his first season with Miami. The 36-year-old previously worked alongside current assistant general manager Gabe Kapler during their time with the San Francisco Giants from 2022 to 2024. Moskos continues as pitching coach after joining from the Chicago Cubs, where he spent three seasons as assistant pitching coach.
Mann transitions from pitching strategist to bullpen coach in his second year with the organization. The 40-year-old brings Driveline Baseball experience to his new role. Vitale returns as bench coach with established chemistry from his Dodgers days with McCullough, while Lalli stays at third base after managing Triple-A Reno successfully.
The coaching staff will guide a young roster looking to build on 2025's 17-game improvement. McCullough brings championship experience from the 2024 World Series champion Dodgers as Miami targets playoff contention. Opening Day 2026 is scheduled for March 27 against the Colorado Rockies at loanDepot Park.
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Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from the London School of Journalism and brings four years of experience in sports media coverage. His current focus is MLB coverage spanning the Blue Jays, Astros, Rangers, Marlins, Tigers, and Rockies, with additional expertise in basketball and college football.