Two young eagles players are becoming well-known coaches and executives.
Front office staff and coaches are on the same team’s radar screens as minor league players who could become stars. On the field, in the dugout, and in the boardroom, teams are constantly searching for talent.
Along with the highly sought-after stars and replacement-level players searching for a team as the MLB offseason stretches on, there are other quick risers in the business who have become known throughout the league for their abilities, work, and bright futures in baseball.
The Athletic’s Eno Sarris has put together a list of 12 future stars in coaching and management that requires a subscription. His collection of fast risers includes two Philadelphia Phillies. Sarris’ list is intriguing because it includes responses from players at every level of baseball, so it’s not as though our two Phillies were selected because of Dave Dombrowski and Rob Thomson’s endorsements.
Let’s get right to the Phillies’ rapidly developing stars.
The pitching coach for the Phillies, Caleb Cotham, is well-known in the industry. The former pitcher only made 35 appearances in Major League Baseball between the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees, but after taking a coaching position, he discovered his true calling.
According to Sarris, “Cotham has garnered respect for his ability to innovate, inform and interact.”
No matter who he has had to work with, Cotham has improved the Phillies’ pitching staff since he started his current position back in 2021. This year’s Phillies pitching staff produced the second-highest fWAR (24.4) among all of the staffs in the team’s history.
When was the last time they had such a strong pitching staff? with 29.5 fWAR in 2011. They had a fWAR of 23.8 in 1983. 2022, another Cotham staff member, comes in fourth with a fWAR of 22.9.
After taking over a team that had an ERA of 5.20 in 2020, Cotham has reduced it to 4.39 in 2021, 3.98 in 2022, and 4.03 in 2023.
Thomson, at the recent Winter Meetings, had high expectations for Cotham as well.
“Caleb is one of the smartest people I’ve ever been around,” Thomson stated. “As a pitching instructor, this man is unmatched. I rely on him every single day.
The legendary Don Mattingly’s son Preston is becoming well-known in the executive ranks. On November 8, he was promoted to assistant general manager, although he still holds the title of director of player development.
In an effort to revive their minor league development system, the Phillies stole Mattingly from the San Diego Padres in 2021, and he has been with the team ever since.
One rival executive Sarris spoke with is certain Mattingly will become general manager at some point.
One rival executive reportedly stated, “(Mattingly) is a future general manager for sure,” according to Sarris. Simply the greatest individual. Everyone he worked with, including scouts, analysts, coaches, and players, adores him.
Well, at only thirty-six, he’s almost there. Who knows, perhaps the eventual replacement for current general manager Sam Fuld is in sight?
