MIAMI – The Miami Marlins today announced the 2024 Major League coaching staff under Skip Schumaker, who concluded his first season at the helm by winning the 2023 National League Manager of the Year Award and guiding the Marlins to the Postseason. The Marlins will return 10 members to the coaching staff, including John Mabry as the club’s Hitting Coach and Griffin Benedict as the Third Base Coach. 2003 AL Batting Champion Bill Mueller will join the staff as Assistant Hitting Coach, and Jose Ceballos as the club’s Bullpen Catcher.
Benedict will begin his first season as the Marlins’ Third Base Coach and his second with the organization after spending 2023 as Quality Assurance Coach. He previously worked with the Chicago Cubs organization, where he served as the Iowa Cubs’ hitting coach for two seasons (2021-22). Prior to that, Benedict spent 10 seasons as bullpen catcher and a Major League instructor for the San Diego Padres, the team that selected him in the 16th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. He played parts of two Minor League seasons in the Padres organization before transitioning to coaching. Benedict also contributed to the Padres scouting department for seven years.
Ceballos joins the Major League club for his first season as Bullpen Catcher after serving the previous nine seasons as a coach in the Marlins’ Minor League system. Originally born in Venezuela, Ceballos was signed by the Marlins as an international free agent in 2006 and played for the organization from 2007-13 before his first season coaching at the Single-A level in 2014. Prior to earning a promotion to Triple-A Defensive Coach for the 2022-23 seasons, he spent four years with the Marlins’ Double-A affiliates in Jacksonville and Pensacola where he was named the Staff Member of the Year in 2021.
Mabry returns to the Marlins as the club’s Hitting Coach after joining the team last year as an Assistant Hitting Coach. Previously, he spent three seasons as a Major League coach with the Royals and seven seasons coaching in the Cardinals’ organization, serving as Assistant Hitting Coach in 2012 and as Hitting Coach from 2013-18. St. Louis’s offense batted .330 with runners in scoring position in 2013, which stands as the highest mark in the Majors since the start of the Modern Era (1901-Present). Mabry was selected by St. Louis in the sixth round of the 1991 MLB Draft and played 14 Major League seasons across eight different organizations, including 82 games with the Florida Marlins in 2001 but spent the majority of his career with the Cardinals (1994-1998, 2001, and 2004-05).
Mueller joins the Marlins organization as an Assistant Hitting Coach after spending two seasons as the Nationals’ Quality Assurance Coordinator in 2022-23. Prior to his stint in Washington, he served on the Major League coaching staffs of the St. Louis Cardinals (Assistant Hitting Coach, 2017-18; First Base Coach, 2016), Chicago Cubs (Hitting Coach, 2014) and Los Angeles Dodgers (Hitting Coach, 2007). Mueller was also the Hitting Coach at Arizona State University in 2021 and garnered front office experience working as Special Assistant to the Dodgers’ General Manager from 2008-13. A veteran of 11 Major League seasons, Mueller won the 2003 American League batting title (.326) and Silver Slugger award, and was a member of the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox. He spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006), Boston Red Sox (2003-05), San Francisco Giants (1996-2000, 2002) and Chicago Cubs (2001-02).
The remaining eight coaches are all returnees from Skip Schumaker’s 2023 staff: Rod Barajas (Field Coordinator), Wellington Cepeda (Bullpen Coach), Rob Flippo (Bullpen Coordinator), Jason Hart (Assistant Hitting Coach) Jon Jay (First Base Coach), Jody Reed (Infield Coach), Mel Stottlemyre Jr. (Pitching Coach), and Luis Urueta (Bench Coach).
The Marlins, who are coming off the club’s fourth Postseason appearance and first in a full season since 2003, begin the 2024 season at home on Thursday, March 28 vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fan can get their tickets today for Opening Day, as well as all home games, at Marlins.com/Tickets.
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