Mariners add Casey Candaele & Mike Hampton to Major League coaching staff

Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and Manager Scott Servais announced today that the Mariners have added Casey Candaele to the Major League Staff as the first base coach and Mike Hampton as the bullpen coach.

Candaele and Hampton join previously announced coaches Tim Bogar (Bench Coach), Edgar Martinez (Hitting Coach), Mel Stottlemyre (Pitching Coach) and Manny Acta (Third Base Coach) on Servais' Mariners staff.

"Casey brings a great presence and high baseball IQ to our staff," Servais said. "He'll be working with our outfielders and on baserunning, both areas that he is uniquely prepared for given his experience over the past five years. Mike brings a tremendous amount of experience. His competitive nature will team well with Mel Stottlemyre as they help guide our pitching staff through the season."

Candaele, 54, spent the 2015 season as the Texas Rangers field coordinator where he oversaw all on-field instruction for minor league position players while also organizing spring training and instructional league. He spent the previous four seasons (2011-14) as the organization's minor league infield and base running coordinator.

From 2000-10, he held various coaching positions at San Luis Obispo (CA) High School and summer collegiate baseball leagues following his playing career. Candaele had an 18-year playing career (1983-2000) in the Montreal, Houston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Los Angeles-NL, Pittsburgh and Florida organizations. In parts of nine Major League seasons with the Expos (1986-1988), Astros (1988-1993) and Indians (1996-97), he hit .250 (483x1934) with 206 runs, 86 doubles, 20 triples, 11 home runs and 139 RBI in 754 games.

Casey was primarily a second baseman during his MLB career, but played nearly every position on the diamond, appearing at First Base (1 G), Second Base (343 games, 237 games started), Third Base (54 G, 29 GS), Shortstop (118 G, 62 GS), Left Field (86 G, 36 GS), Center Field (78 G, 50 GS) and Right Field (38 G, 17 GS).

He played collegiately at the University of Arizona (1980-83) where he helped the Wildcats to the 1980 NCAA National Championship. Casey's late mother, Helen Callaghan St. Aubin, played for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Casey and his mother are believed to be the only mother/son combination to have both played professional baseball at the highest levels available.

Hampton, 43, served two seasons as a pitching coach in the Angels minor league system with the Arizona League Angels (2014) and AA Arkansas (2013) following a 20-year playing career.

In 16 Major League seasons with Seattle (1993), Houston (1994-99, 2009), New York-NL (2000), Colorado (2001-02), Atlanta (2003-05, 08) and Arizona (2010), he compiled a 148-115 record with a 4.06 ERA (1024 ER, 2268.1 IP) with 1387 strikeouts in 419 games including 355 starts. Hampton had five straight seasons of 200.0-plus innings (1997-2001) and made 32+ starts in each of those seasons.

He appeared in the postseason six times with Houston (1997, 1998, 1999), New York-NL (2000) & Atlanta (2003, 2004), combining to go 2-4 with a 3.74 ERA (27 ER, 65.0 IP) with 53 strikeouts in 11 games including 10 starts.

The two-time All-Star (1999 with Houston & 2001 with Colorado) won five Silver Slugger Awards (1999-2003) and won a Gold Glove in 2003. He played in the postseason six times and was the NLCS MVP with the Mets in 2000. In 2003 he became the first pitcher to win a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger in the same season. He finished second in the 1999 Cy Young Award voting when he went 22-4 with a 2.90 ERA with the Houston Astros.

Hampton was originally drafted by the Mariners in the 6^th round of the 1990 amateur draft out of Crystal River High School (Crystal River, FL). He made his Major League debut with Seattle in 1993, appearing in 13 games including 3 starts.