Sources: Marlins make changes across coaching staff

October 2nd, 2024

MIAMI -- Members of former manager Skip Schumaker's coaching staff have been notified that their contracts were not renewed for the 2025 season, including pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., who had one year remaining, a source told MLB.com.

The club did not confirm the report.

When speaking to media for nearly 13 minutes on Tuesday, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said the organization had conversations with the rest of the coaching staff scheduled for later in the week. The Marlins are focused on hiring a new manager and then will shift direction into building out the coaching staff.

There is interest in bringing back bench coach Luis Urueta and first-base/outfield coach Jon Jay in some capacity.

Jay, 39, is a Miami native. He began his post-playing career ahead of the 2023 season when he joined Schumaker’s staff. Urueta, 43, spent 21 seasons with the D-backs as a player and coach before becoming Miami’s bench coach from ’23-24. He has managerial experience at the Dominican Summer League, World Baseball Classic and winter league levels. Last offseason, Urueta was named the Dominican Winter League’s General Manager of the Year for his job with Gigantes del Cibao.

Bendix was asked Tuesday whether any of Schumaker’s staff would get a look at the managerial opening or if candidates would only come from outside the organization.

“At this point, because we haven't had those conversations with staff yet, I'm going to keep that private,” Bendix said.

Stottlemyre, 60, had been Miami’s pitching coach for six seasons. In his first four years, Marlins pitchers set various single-season club records, including 1,437 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP in 2022. Injuries plagued the starting staff in ’24, with Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Jesús Luzardo, Braxton Garrett, Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers missing substantial time.