The Tampa Bay Rays have announced Jorge Moncada as their major league bullpen coach.
Moncada, 38, enters his 23rd season in professional baseball, 19th as an instructor, coach or coordinator, and his first assignment at the major league level. All but one season of his coaching career has been in the Rays organization.
Moncada has spent the last seven seasons (2016-22) as a minor league pitching coordinator. He joined the Rays as a pitching instructor in February 2006 and served as a pitching coach for the Rookie-level team in the Venezuelan Summer League after the Rays opened their Venezuelan baseball academy in 2007. The Rays played in the VSL in 2007 as part of a co-op team with the Cincinnati Reds before forming a team of their own in 2008.
After seven years as the pitching coach of the VSL Rays, he finished the 2013 season and spent the 2014 season as a pitching coach for the Short-A Hudson Valley Renegades. He was the minor league assistant pitching coordinator in 2015 before being elevated prior to the 2016 season.
A former left-handed pitcher, Moncada was signed in 2001 by then-Houston Astros scout Andres Reiner, who joined the Rays organization in 2006, retired in 2012 and passed away at age 80 in 2016. Moncada played four seasons in the Astros system before joining the coaching ranks as the VSL Astros bullpen coach in 2005.
Moncada replaces Stan Boroski, who retired after 13 seasons on the major league coaching staff and 11 full seasons as bullpen coach. He is the eighth bullpen coach in franchise history, joining Boroski (2012-22), Bobby Ramos (1998, 2006-11), Matt Sinatro (2003-05), Glenn Ezell (2001-02), Darren Daulton (2001), Terry Collins (2001) and Orlando Gomez (1998–2000).
“I can’t say enough about Stan’s positive impact on our pitchers and clubhouse during his time here, and wish him the best during his retirement. We will miss him greatly,” said Rays Manager Kevin Cash. “That said, we’re also very excited to add Jorge Moncada to the staff. Jorge has been integral to our pitching development over the last several years. He has tremendous knowledge of pitching and his work ethic, passion and humility make him a perfect fit for our staff and culture.”
