The San Diego Padres have turned to familiar face for their vacant hitting coach position.
The team announced that they have hired former Padre outfielder Mark Kotsay as the team’s hitting coach. The news was first announced by Corey Brock of MLB.com.
Kotsay, 38, played parts of 17 seasons in the big leagues, including two tours of duty in San Diego. Kotsay played in San Diego from 2001-2003, and again from 2012-2013. Kotsay was a special assistant to the general manager in 2014.
Kotsay will take over for Phil Plantier, who was fired after the conclusion of the 2014. The Padres ranked last in nearly every major offensive category in 2014, so the former Friar outfielder appears to have his work cut out for him. The Padres also expect assistant hitting coach Alonzo Powell to remain in his current role.
The Padres have spent the majority of the off-season attempting to upgrade the offense, so it seems that Kotsay will have new pupils to work with. Kotsay has never coached at any level, but he was well-respected a veteran presence in the clubhouse. The addition of Kotsay completes the Padres coaching staff for 2015.