The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced a wide-ranging swatch of extensions for their coaching personnel.
In recent comments, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington has made it known that the organization would make it a priority to keep pitching coach Ray Searage.
That commitment was realized today, yet the entirety of the coaching staff was also retained. The length of the extensions will keep all assistants in a Pirates uniform through 2017.
“We are very pleased to maintain the continuity and quality of our Major League Coaching Staff through at least the 2017 season,” Neal Huntington said in a statement. “This is a group of quality, talented baseball men who make our organization better each day.”
Searage will get the rightfully-earned publicity of these extensions, but a special notice should be shown to Jeff Branson. Under Branson’s guidance, the Pirates have perhaps gotten more production out of their regulars relevant to their talent level than other clubs. Branson is no stranger to reclamation projects of his own. Under his tutelage, Josh Harrison nearly captured the National League batting crown in 2014. Gregory Polanco appears to have taken the long-promised ‘step forward’ that many expected him to. The team as a whole in 2016 is forging a new identity seemingly on the fly, and the results have spoken for themselves.
From the Pirates’ official press release, here is the full list of coaches that were extended, along with notes on their tenure
Jeff Branson has been the Hitting Coach since 2014 after serving as the Assistant Hitting Coach in 2013.
Brad Fischer joined the Major League coaching staff in 2015.
Dave Jauss has been a Major League coach with the Pirates since 2013 and is serving as the Bench Coach this season.
Nick Leyva is in his second season as the First Base Coach after serving the Pirates as their Third Base Coach for four seasons (2011-2014).
Jeff Livesey has been the Assistant Hitting Coach since 2014.
Euclides Rojas is in his sixth season as Pittsburgh’s Bullpen Coach, having joined the staff in 2011.
Ray Searage has been the Pitching Coach since 2011. He served as the Interim Pitching Coach during the 2010 season.
Rick Sofield is in his second season as the Third Base Coach after serving the Pirates as their First Base Coach for two years (2013-2014).
Heberto Andrade is in his 13th season as the club’s Bullpen Catcher, having joined the Pirates coaching staff in 2004.
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