Rangers finalize 2021 Major League coaching staff; Doug Mathis and Brendan Sagara named co-pitching coaches and Bobby Wilson named catching coach for Majors and Minors

Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has finalized its 2021 Major League coaching staff under third-year Manager Chris Woodward. The team has named Doug Mathis and Brendan Sagara (pronounced suh-GAHR-uh) as co-pitching coaches for next season, and Bobby Wilson has been named catching coordinator in a dual role that will serve the organization’s catchers at both the Major and Minor League levels.

In the co-pitching coach roles, Mathis will sit in the dugout during games and Sagara will be in the bullpen, but the duo will share all other duties and responsibilities.

The bulk of the 2020 staff returns for next season, and the full listing is at the end of this release. Corey Ragsdale will continue in his position as field coordinator and first base coach, adding expanded duties involving the development of players on the Major League roster. Don Wakamatsu will be in his fourth season as bench coach and Luis Ortiz returns for a third year as hitting coach. Tony Beasley, the longest-tenured member of the staff, returns for a seventh season as third base coach, and Callix Crabbe will be in his third year as assistant hitting coach. Alex Burg (Coordinator, Run Production) and Brett Hayes (Coordinator, Run Prevention) both return in their roles assisting the MLB staff.

Mathis, 37, was the club’s bullpen coach this past season, his first campaign as a coach in the Rangers organization after three years with minor league affiliates in the Seattle (2017-18) and Toronto (2019) systems. He became a coach following an 11-year playing career from 2005-15 that began when he was the Rangers’ 13th round draft pick in 2005. Mathis saw his only MLB action with Texas from 2008-10, and also had stints in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

The 47-year-old Sagara will be in his first role on a Major League staff. He was slated to serve in a dual role of Special Assistant, Player Development and Nashville (AAA) pitching coach in 2020, but instead spent significant time with many prospects at the club’s Alternate Training Site during the season. The 2020 campaign was his first in the Texas organization after player development roles in the Chicago-NL (2018-19) and Miami (2012-17) systems. A pitching coach in various capacities for 21 seasons, he has also been a part-time scout for New York-NL (2006-09) and Atlanta (2010-11).

Wilson, 37, is on a Major League staff for the first time. He will handle catching instruction for the Major League club, and he will also coordinate the minor league catching program while based in Arlington. The former MLB catcher, who retired after ending a 17-year playing career in 2019, was slated to make his coaching debut as manager at Double-A Frisco this past season. He would end up serving as a coach at the club’s Alternate Training Site, where he worked with the team’s catchers that were not on the active roster, and he also spent time with the Major League staff near the end of the campaign. Wilson, who appeared for the Rangers’ division-winning clubs in 2015-16, saw MLB action as a catcher for Los Angeles-AL (2008-12), Arizona (2014), Tampa Bay (2015-16), Texas (2015-16), Detroit (2016, 2019), and Minnesota (2018).

RANGERS 2021 MAJOR LEAGUE COACHING STAFF

Manager Chris Woodward

Field Coordinator and First Base Coach Corey Ragsdale

Bench Coach Don Wakamatsu

Hitting Coach Luis Ortiz

Pitching Coach Doug Mathis

Pitching Coach Brendan Sagara

Third Base Coach Tony Beasley

Catching Coach Bobby Wilson

Assistant Hitting Coach Callix Crabbe

Run Production Coordinator Alex Burg

Run Prevention Coordinator Brett Hayes