The Chicago Cubs today announced manager Craig Counsell’s major league coaching staff for the 2024 season. Four new coaches are joining the staff: Ryan Flaherty as bench coach, Darren Holmes as bullpen coach, Mark Strittmatter as major league field coordinator and John Mallee as assistant hitting coach. Ten coaches will be returning from the 2023 season.
Here are brief bios of all 14 coaches for the 2024 season.
Ryan Flaherty, bench coach: first season with the Cubs after four years with the Padres including the 2023 season as bench coach/offensive coordinator. Joined San Diego’s coaching staff in 2020 as a major league advance scout/development coach before serving as quality control coach in 2022. A former infielder, he was selected by the Cubs in the first round (41st overall) of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft and went on to play eight seasons in the majors with Baltimore (2012-17), Atlanta (2018) and Cleveland (2019).
Willie Harris, third base coach: fourth season with the Cubs, all at this position, and his ninth as a coach or manager. He will also continue to work with the team’s outfielders. Harris played 12 major league seasons with the Orioles (2001), White Sox (2002-05), Red Sox (2006), Braves (2007), Nationals (2008-10), Mets (2011) and Reds (2012).
Tommy Hottovy, pitching coach: sixth season in this role, his 10th working within the Cubs major league pitching infrastructure dating to 2015, first as advance scout, run prevention. A former left-handed pitcher, he made his major league debut in 2011 with Boston and also pitched with the Royals in 2012.
Dustin Kelly, hitting coach: second season in this role following two years as the organization’s minor league hitting coordinator. In this role he oversees the team’s major league hitting infrastructure. Kelly served as a hitting coach in the Dodgers farm system from 2018-20 following three seasons playing (2004-06) in the Red Sox system.
Mike Napoli, first base coach: fifth season on the Cubs coaching staff, his third as first base coach after serving as quality assurance coach in 2020-21. Napoli will continue to work with players on team baserunning. He played 12 seasons with the Los Angeles Angels (2006-10), Texas (2011-12, 2015, 2017), Boston (2013-15) and Cleveland (2016).
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Darren Holmes, bullpen coach: first season with the Cubs following three years as Baltimore’s assistant pitching coach. Before joining Baltimore in 2020 as the bullpen coach he held the same title with Colorado from 2015-19. Holmes pitched in parts of 13 major league seasons (1990-2003) with the Dodgers, Brewers, Rockies, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Orioles and Braves.
Mark Strittmatter, major league field coordinator: first season with the Cubs after 11 seasons in the Rockies organization as the catching coordinator. In this role, will serve as the point person for team scheduling as well as working with the team’s catchers. Strittmatter was a major league coach for the Pirates in 2011-12 after eight seasons as the Rockies bullpen catcher from 2003-10. A former catcher, Strittmatter spent the majority of his playing career in the Rockies minor league system from 1992-2000 with a brief stint on the major league club in 1998.
Daniel Moskos, assistant pitching coach: third season in this position on the Cubs coaching staff following two seasons as a minor league pitching coach in the Yankees system. Moskos made 31 relief appearances for the Pirates in 2011 after he was selected by Pittsburgh in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2007 draft out of Clemson.
John Mallee, assistant hitting coach: first season in this role after one season as Triple-A Iowa’s hitting coach, and his 27th season coaching professional baseball. Was the Cubs major league hitting coach from 2015-17, then held the same role with the Phillies from 2018-19 before he was the Angels major league assistant hitting coach from 2020-22. Mallee played 115 minor league games as an infielder before breaking into coaching in the Brewers farm system from 1996-2000.
Juan Cabreja, assistant hitting coach: second season in this role after six years as a major league staff assistant, and his 21st year in the Cubs organization. Cabreja has served as a coach, manager or coordinator in the Cubs chain since 2004. A former infielder, has managed eight minor league seasons, including five in the Dominican Summer League.
Jim Adduci, assistant hitting coach, game planning: second season in this role following two seasons as assistant director, run production. A former outfielder, he was in the Cubs system from 20017-12, made his major league debut with Texas in 2013 and, after time with the Tigers (2017-18), played briefly for the Cubs in 2019.
Jonathan Mota, major league coach: second season in this position after two seasons as staff assistant, and his eighth year as a coach or manager in the organization. Among his responsibilities, will work with infielders and infield defense. The former infielder played in the minors with the Cubs from 2004-15, appearing at every position in his career.
Alex Smith, major league coach, data development and process: second season in this position after serving as assistant director, major league data and development. He previously was coordinator, major league data and development and joined the Cubs in 2015 after graduating from Cornell University with a BASc in Industrial and Labor Relations.
Garrett Lloyd, bullpen catcher: third season in this position after serving as a development coach for Chicago in 2021. Lloyd was a coach in the Dodgers farm system from 2019-20 following a year as a minor league video associate in 2018 for Double-A San Antonio in the Padres chain.