Marlins Hire Clayton McCullough As Manager

The Marlins have employed Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough as their new supervisor, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reviews (X hyperlink).  That is the 44-year-old McCullough’s first job as a skipper on the massive league stage.

It was no secret that the Marlins could be transferring on from Skip Schumaker at season’s finish, and Miami interviewed such names as McCullough, then-Rangers affiliate supervisor Will Venable, Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz, Tigers bench coach George Lombard, and the Marlins’ personal former bench coach Luis Urueta (who labored on Schumaker’s employees).  After talking with over 10 candidates in Zoom interviews, the Marlins then met with Venable and Albernaz for in-person interviews, seemingly establishing the 2 as finalists.

Nonetheless, Venable was then employed by the White Sox as their new supervisor, whereas Albernaz selected to stay in Cleveland and pulled himself out of the operating for the managerial jobs in each Chicago and Miami.  This left the Marlins turning to a different candidates, and the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson wrote that the membership had an in-person assembly with McCullough this previous week in McCullough’s house in Jupiter, Florida.  For the reason that Marlins maintain their Spring Coaching camp in Jupiter, it makes for one thing of a homecoming for McCullough as he embarks on his new chapter in his profession.

McCullough was a minor league catcher in Cleveland’s farm system from 2002-05 earlier than starting his teaching profession at age 27 because the supervisor of the Blue Jays’ Gulf Coast League rookie ball affiliate.  McCullough managed in Toronto’s farm system from 2007-14, working his means up the ladder to handle in any respect three A-level associates earlier than leaving the group to affix the Dodgers in 2015.  Initially working because the Dodgers’ minor league subject coordinator, McCullough spent a few years working with Gabe Kapler (now the Marlins’ assistant GM) when Kapler was Los Angeles’ director of participant improvement.

The transfer to the massive league teaching employees got here in 2021, and McCullough has been the L.A. first base coach for the final 4 seasons.  It wasn’t lengthy earlier than McCullough’s identify started to floor in managerial searches across the league, as McCullough was a candidate for vacancies with the Mets, Brewers, Guardians, and Royals lately, along with the consideration from the White Sox this very offseason.  The Royals’ job was in all probability McCullough’s closest name, as he was reportedly a finalist two years in the past earlier than Kansas Metropolis opted to rent Matt Quatraro.

McCullough now faces a tricky problem in his first managerial gig, because the Marlins are coming off a 100-loss season.  Miami’s wild card berth within the 2023 playoffs looks like ages in the past now, for the reason that membership parted methods with common supervisor Kim Ng and employed Peter Bendix as the brand new president of baseball operations.  Bendix’s first task has been to strengthen the minor league system and tear down the MLB roster, leaving Miami followers dealing with one more rebuild.

There clearly isn’t any stress on McCullough to win any time quickly, as his chief job will likely be to supervise a fairly inexperienced roster.  Somewhat than wins or losses, McCullough’s fast outcomes will likely be gauged on how the younger Marlins (each on the energetic roster and developing from the farm) can develop on the massive league stage.  McCullough’s historical past as a minor league supervisor will certainly assist on this regard, as will his pedigree as a coach with a World Collection-winning staff.

With the Marlins’ determination now made, the managerial hiring cycle is now full for the offseason, barring any surprising firings within the coming weeks or months.  McCullough joins Venable and Reds supervisor Terry Francona as new bench bosses heading into the 2025 season.

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