Marlins Boss Clayton McCullough to Deliver Commencement Speech at East Carolina
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Clayton McCullough is head back home to his alma mater, East Carolina University , to deliver a speech to fall graduates later this month.
East Carolina announced him as speaker in a press release earlier this week. He will deliver the keynote address during fall commencement on Dec. 19 at Minges Coliseum. McCullough is a Greenville, N.C., native, where ECU is located. He also played his college baseball for the Pirates, where he was a catcher for three seasons and helped them win a Conference USA title.
He is also an ECU legacy. His father, Howard McCullough, also played at ECU and was a long-time MLB scout.
“We are excited to recognize our graduates and celebrate such a special moment with their friends and families,” ECU Chancellor Philip Rogers said. “It’s a pleasure to welcome Clayton back to campus to offer words of encouragement to our graduates. As a Greenville native and alumnus, he inherently understands our university’s mission, and his career achievements clearly demonstrate his proven leadership.”
Clayton McCullough Since ECU
McCullough just wrapped up his first season as Marlins manager, where he led the franchise to a surprising 79 wins as Miami made a late wild card surge, finishing four games out of the final National League wild card spot. He has spent much of his offseason visiting players and preparing for next season, including a trip overseas to work with young catcher Agustín Ramírez.
After ECU, McCullough was a 22nd round pick for Cleveland in 2002 and he played three seasons of pro baseball, getting to Triple-A, before his career ended without a Major League call-up. He returned to the Pirates to serve as a volunteer coach at his alma mater for a season before he took a managerial job in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He managed for eight seasons and went 629-559 at rookie ball and Class-A baseball.
He joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 as a minor league field coordinator. The Dodgers finally promoted him to their Major League coaching staff in 2021 and installed him as their first base coach. He also coached outfielders and developed the team’s base stealing strategy. He won a World Series ring in 2024, just before he joined the Marlins as manager.
Miami is hoping to spend more money in free agency this offseason. But McCullough hopes to nudge the Marlins toward a playoff berth in 2026, building around a franchise full of young players, many of whom came through the farm system.
