Leiper named Padres' third base coach

Longtime Baseball Canada coach Tim Leiper has been named San Diego Padres’ third base coach. Photo: Baseball Canada

January 3, 2024

Official San Diego Padres News Release

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres have announced the members of manager Mike Shildt’s coaching staff for the 2024 campaign.

-Ruben Niebla – Pitching Coach

-Ben Fritz – Bullpen Coach

-Tim Leiper – Third Base Coach, Infield & Base Running Instructor

-David Macias – First Base Coach, Outfield & Base Running Instructor

-Victor Rodriguez – Hitting Coach

-Mike McCoy – Assistant Hitting Coach

-Pat O’Sullivan – Assistant Hitting Coach

-Brian Esposito – Catching Coach & Game Strategy Assistant

-Ryan Barba – Major League Field Coordinator

-Peter Summerville – Game Planning & Coaching Assistant

-Heberto Andrade – Bullpen Catcher & Coaching Assistant

-Morgan Burkhart – Major League Coaching Assistant

Niebla, 52, returns for his third season as Padres pitching coach after overseeing a pitching staff that finished the 2023 season with the second-lowest earned run average (3.86) in the Majors, as well as the third-lowest hits allowed per nine innings pitched ratio (7.93), and tied for the fourth-lowest on-base plus slugging percentage (.697) and opponents’ batting average (.236). He helped guide Blake Snell to the Padres fifth Cy Young Award in franchise history, while Snell and reliever Josh Hader both earned All-MLB First Team honours. The El Centro, Calif. native spent 21 years with Cleveland’s organization, most recently as assistant Major League pitching coach in 2020-2021 after serving as the club’s minor league pitching coordinator from 2013-19. He was a Major League staff assistant in 2010 prior to serving as pitching coach for triple-A Columbus from 2011-12. He also held the role of pitching coach for Team Mexico in the WSBC Premier12 event held in Mexico and Tokyo in November 2019, helping guide the Mexican team to a 2020 Olympic berth for the first time in its history. Additionally, he served as pitching coach for the Mexican National Team in 2015 and has spent several seasons instructing in the Mexican Winter League for Águilas de Mexicali. The left-handed pitcher began his professional career in the independent Atlantic Coast League, Western League, and Texas-Louisiana League from 1995-97. He signed with the Montreal Expos as a free agent in 1998 and split 1998-2000 pitching in the Expos and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations, reaching the triple-A level in Ottawa and Albuquerque. He concluded his playing career in ‘00 in the Western League, making a total of 122 career minor league appearances (one start) with a 4.49 ERA in 122 appearances (89 ER, 178.0 IP).

Fritz, 42, enters his 10th season with the Padres organization and fifth as bullpen coach at the Major League level. Under Fritz’s guidance in 2023, the Padres bullpen ranked fourth among all NL relief corps in ERA (3.58) and H/9.0 IP ratio (7.81), tied for fourth in HR/9.0 IP (1.01), fifth in opponents’ average (.233) and tied for sixth in WHIP (1.29). Fritz joined the Padres Major League coaching staff in 2020 and assumed the role of pitching coach in August 2021 through the end of the season following the dismissal of Larry Rothschild. He served as coordinator of AZ/rehab from 2018-19, manager for Single-A Tri-City in 2017 and spent the 2015-16 seasons with the club’s Rookie-Level affiliate in Peoria. He was selected in the first round (30th overall) of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft by the Athletics and pitched seven professional seasons between the A’s (2002-07) and Detroit Tigers (2009) organizations, as well as parts of three seasons with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League (2008-10). Overall, the right-handed pitcher posted a career record of 45-61 with a 4.75 ERA in 192 minor league games (187 starts). The San Jose, Calif. native played collegiately at Fresno State, where he was the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year and a second-team All-American selection in 2001.

Leiper, 57, joins the Padres coaching staff as third base coach, infield & base running instructor after spending the last four seasons (2020-23) with the San Francisco Giants as coordinator of outfield & baserunning in their player development system. From December 2013 through the 2018 season, Leiper was the Toronto Blue Jays first base coach after originally joining the Jays in 2013 as a senior advisor in player development. The Whittier, Calif. native’s coaching career began with the New York Mets in 1996 before he joined the Montreal Expos in 2000 to manage in their minor league system. In 2003, he managed one season in the Red Sox system before taking the helm of the Orioles’ triple-A club in 2004. From 2006-2008, he worked in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, three as a manager at double-A. He joined the Florida Marlins in 2009, led double-A Jacksonville to a 2010 Southern League championship and then served as Florida’s roving minor league defensive coordinator from 2011-12. He coached for Canada’s 2004 Olympic team and was on Team Canada’s coaching staff for each of the five World Baseball Classics. He served on the Baseball Canada staff that won bronze medals at both the 2008 and 2011 Baseball World Cups and the Gold Medal at the 2011 Pan-Am Games. As a player, the outfielder, third baseman and first baseman played 12 minor league seasons with the Tigers (1985-90, ’95), Mets (1991, ’96), Royals (1992) and Pirates (1993-94), hitting .273 (1069-for-3910) with 40 homers and 460 RBI in his career.

Macias, 37, returns for his third season as Padres first base coach, outfield & base running instructor, and in 2023, he helped aid Fernando Tatis Jr. to the Padres first-ever Platinum Glove Award and the first outfielder from the National League to ever garner the award, which debuted in 2011. Macias was briefly a part of East Carolina University’s coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2021 after spending the previous four seasons coaching at Vanderbilt University under Tim Corbin, helping the Commodores to a pair of College World Series Finals, including the 2019 National Championship. Vanderbilt posted single-season records in ‘19 in home runs (100), RBI (541), walks (339) and runs scored (578) en route to a SEC-record 59 wins and their second College World Series title. The Houston, Texas native was with the Seattle Mariners organization from 2016-17, serving as the coordinator of international player programs in ‘16 and ‘17 before taking over as manager for Single-A Clinton midway through the ‘17 Midwest League season. Macias’ first stint on the Commodores coaching staff came across the 2014-15 seasons, serving as a volunteer assistant in their national runner-up campaign in ‘15, and as strength coach in ‘14 when they won their first national championship. He spent the 2012 and ‘13 seasons as a player development/international scouting assistant with the Chicago Cubs, the club that drafted him in the 19th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt. During his senior season, the former outfielder was named first team All-SEC and second team All-South Region/All-District 3. His 96 hits during the campaign are tied for fifth-most on Vanderbilt’s single-season list, and he is also among the program’s all-time leaders in at-bats (9th, 784) and hits (10th, 255).

Rodriguez, 62, joins the Padres coaching staff as hitting coach after spending the previous six seasons (2018-23) as assistant hitting coach for the Cleveland Guardians. 2024 will mark his 48th season in professional baseball as a player, instructor or coach. He spent five seasons (2013-17) in the same position with the Boston Red Sox, as the club led the Majors in combined runs scored over that span and ranked third in total hits and batting average, highlighted by the eighth World Series trophy in Red Sox history in 2013. He served as assistant hitting coach for the 2014 American League All-Star squad, and that season was named “Man of the Year” by the BoSox Club, an award given annually to a deserving team member recognizing not only their contribution to the success of the team on the field, but also their cooperation and efforts in community endeavors. From 2007-12, the New York, N.Y. native served as the Red Sox’ minor league hitting coordinator, a position he also held in 2002. For three seasons (2004-06), he was the club’s Latin field coordinator, was a minor league hitting instructor in 2003, and also served as a hitting coach in the Red Sox farm system for six years (1996-01). The first baseman, third baseman and outfielder played parts of 19 professional seasons in the Orioles (1977-84), Padres (1985), Cardinals (1986-87), Twins (1988-91), Phillies (1992-93), Marlins (1994), and Red Sox (1995) organizations. He appeared in 17 Major League games over stints with Baltimore (1984) and Minnesota (1989) and hit .429 (12-for-28). In 1,759 minor league games, he batted .295 (1905-for-6468) with 102 HR and 774 RBI.

McCoy, 42, joins the Major League coaching staff as assistant hitting coach for his ninth season in the Padres organization, most recently serving as minor league hitting coordinator for the past two years (2022-23). The San Diego, Calif. native served as manager for Single-A Lake Elsinore for the 2021 campaign after managing Single-A Tri-City in 2019. He originally joined the Padres in 2016 as an assistant coach for Lake Elsinore and held the same role for the Arizona Rookie-Level Padres from 2017-18. Prior to coaching, the former infielder played 14 professional seasons in the minor league systems for Baltimore, Boston, San Diego and St. Louis, including parts of four Major League seasons with Colorado (2009) and Toronto (2010-12).

O’Sullivan, 46, joins the Major League coaching staff as assistant hitting coach for his seventh season in the Padres organization, most recently serving as hitting coach for double-A San Antonio in 2023. The Oak Lawn, Ill. native served in the same post for Lake Elsinore for two seasons (2021-22) after originally joining the organization as hitting coach for Single-A Tri-City from 2018-19. The former first baseman and outfielder played four seasons in the minor league systems of the Mets and Orioles before spending seven years in the Independent League and Mexican League.

Esposito, 44, returns to the Major League coaching staff as catching coach & game strategy assistant for his third season in the organization after joining the Padres in 2022 as manager of Single-A Fort Wayne. The Staten Island, N.Y. native spent the previous nine seasons (2013-21) in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, most recently as manager for Triple-A Indianapolis from 2018-19 and ‘21, while spending ‘20 at the Pirates Alternate Training site in Altoona, Pa. He spent two years (2015-16) as manager for Single-A West Virginia, highlighted by a club-record 87 wins in ’15, after managing Single-A Jamestown in 2014 and serving as a player/coach in the Pirates farm system in 2013. He was originally selected by Boston in the fifth round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft and played 13 seasons in the minor league systems of Boston, Anaheim, Texas, St. Louis, Colorado, Houston and Chicago (NL). He made 688 minor league appearances at catcher, 22 as a pitcher, 14 at first base and one each at third base and in left field. He made his Major League debut as a defensive replacement behind the plate with St. Louis on June 2, 2007 and made two appearances with the Astros in 2009. He played collegiate ball at the University of Connecticut, where he was voted team MVP in 1999.

Barba, 39, joins the Major League coaching staff as Major League field coordinator for his third season in the Padres organization. He originally joined the Padres as minor league infield coordinator in 2022 before serving as assistant field coordinator/infield coordinator for the 2023 season. The Van Nuys, Calif. native spent nine seasons (2013-21) in the Angels organization, serving as assistant field coordinator from 2020-21 after managing Single-A Inland Empire for two years (2018-19). He also served as hitting coach for Double-A Mobile (2017), Single-A Inland Empire (2016), Single-A Burlington (2015), Rookie-Level Orem (2014) and the Arizona Fall League Angels (2013). Prior to his professional coaching debut, he was an assistant coach in 2011 and 2012 at alma mater, the University of New Mexico. The middle infielder played four minor league seasons with the Brewers (2006-07) and Braves (2009-10), tallying a career .205 average (157-for-766) with 34 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 71 RBI in 242 minor league games.

Summerville, 32, returns for his sixth season on the Major League coaching staff and third as game planning and coaching assistant, having spent the previous four seasons as bullpen catcher/coaching assistant. Summerville played four years collegiately at Santa Clara University, was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a minor league free agent in 2016 and spent two seasons (2017-18) with the Dodgers as a development coach.

Andrade, 57, returns to the Padres for his third season as bullpen catcher and coaching assistant after spending the previous 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, including the final three seasons as a Major League coaching assistant following 15 years as bullpen catcher. Andrade spent three years (1986-88) as a catcher in the Chicago Cubs farm system and played professional baseball in Venezuela, Italy and Colombia before retiring as a player in 1996. He served as an area scout for the Oakland Athletics in ‘96 and in the same capacity with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1998 to 2002. Andrade has also spent the last 27 years as a coach and catching instructor during the Venezuelan Winter League, and he participated in the Caribbean World Series four times as a player and once as a coach.

Burkhart, 51, enters his 12th season with the Padres organization and his fourth on the Major League coaching staff as a coaching assistant. The St. Louis, Mo. native originally joined the Padres in 2013 and has been on coaching staffs at all levels of the club’s farm system, including Single-A Fort Wayne (2013-14), double-A San Antonio (2015) and triple-A El Paso (2016-19). Prior to joining the Padres, Burkhart spent the previous seven seasons coaching in the Independent Leagues, highlighted by a Golden Baseball League championship during his managerial debut season in 2009 for the Calgary Vipers. The former first baseman began his professional playing career as an undrafted free agent in the Frontier League in 1995, and was a three-time Most Valuable Player of the league for the Richmond Roosters (1996-98), as well as the Mexican League MVP for the Navojoa Mayos during the 1999-2000 campaign. He played in parts of three Major League seasons with Boston (2000-01) and Kansas City (2003), hitting .248 (30-for-121) with five home runs, 23 RBI and 20 runs scored in 42 games played. He attended the University of Central Missouri where he was a member of the 1994 NCAA Division II National Championship team.