White Sox add 5 new coaches to Grifol's staff
Scott Merkin
@scottmerkinSCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The White Sox announced their 2024 coaching staff under manager Pedro Grifol on Tuesday, with the additions of Marcus Thames as hitting coach, Jason Bourgeois as first-base/outfield coach, Matt Wise as assistant pitching coach, Grady Sizemore as Major League coach and Drew Butera as catching coach.
That group joins pitching coach Ethan Katz, bench coach Charlie Montoyo, Mike Tosar -- who has moved from Major League field coordinator to assistant hitting coach -- and third-base/infield coach Eddie Rodriguez. The decisions on the new hires were a collaborative effort between Grifol and the front office.
"We worked together,¡± White Sox general manager Chris Getz said. "With the interview process, Pedro was involved, myself and others in the front office. So, we communicated throughout the whole thing."
Thames is the third different White Sox hitting coach in the last three years, following Frank Menechino (2022) and Jos¨¦ Castro (2023). The 47-year-old served as the Angels¡¯ hitting coach in ¡®23, worked as the Marlins¡¯ hitting coach in ¡®22 and for the Yankees from 2018-21. He also served as the Yankees¡¯ assistant hitting coach from 2016-17, having appeared as a player in 640 games over 10 Major League seasons.
"I like the way his answers were constructed,¡± Grifol said on a Tuesday Zoom. ¡°He had an idea of what he wanted to do. He¡¯s worked with stars. He¡¯s worked with rookies. We feel he¡¯s the right guy for us going forward."
"Whether it be players I spoke to, coaches that worked with Marcus, just glowing [endorsements]," Getz said. "He has coached in different markets, players with different backgrounds, higher profile, younger players, so that type of starter skillset was really important for where we¡¯re headed. That really stood out."
Bourgeois, 41, has spent the last five seasons in the Dodgers¡¯ organization, serving as the outfield and baserunning coordinator from 2021-23. He played in 317 big league games, including six with the White Sox in 2008, and had a stint in the White Sox Minor League system in parts of ¡®16 and ¡®17.
Sizemore, 41, worked as a coach for the Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks in 2022, his second professional assignment after working in Cleveland¡¯s player development system in 2017. He was a career .265 hitter with 150 home runs and 518 RBIs in 1,101 games over 10 seasons with Cleveland (2004-11), Boston (2014), Philadelphia (2014-15) and Tampa Bay (2015). Sizemore was a three-time All-Star (2006-08), two-time Gold Glove honoree (2007-08) and a Silver Slugger Award winner (2008), all with Cleveland.
"Going through the interview process, it was very clear that Grady¡¯s going to be able to really connect with a lot of our players," Getz said. "He had four years straight of 700 plate appearances. ... To inject that type of mentality into our ecosystem, so to speak, is going to really bode well for us."
Butera, 40, is a former Major League catcher who was a member of the Angels¡¯ coaching staff in 2022-23. He served as the Angels¡¯ catching coordinator last season and as a bullpen catcher in 2022, with Getz referring to him as one of the bright young coaches in the game and a future manager.
Wise, 47, spent the last three seasons as the pitching coach for the Angels. After serving as the Angels¡¯ bullpen coach in 2020, he began the 2021 season as their interim pitching coach before taking over the position full-time in late May of that season.
These five coaching additions have Major League playing experience, which can be helpful, although not essential.
"In terms of building an initial relationship, it will be easier," Getz said. "But at the end of the day, for players to respond to coaches, they need to feel like the coach is in their corner and it¡¯s about helping the player. In this case, we have guys with playing backgrounds and the ability to build those relationships."