Yankees announce coaching and player development additions

The New York Yankees today announced that Gary Tuck, Trey Hillman, Mike Quade and Matthew Krause have joined the organization.

Tuck, 59, has been hired as the club's bullpen coach for the 2014 season, which will mark his 32nd year in professional baseball as a player, coach or scout. Tuck most recently served as Boston's bullpen coach for six seasons (2007-12). He also spent the 2006 season as Joe Girardi's bench coach for the Florida Marlins.

This will mark Tuck's fourth stint in the Yankees organization after serving as the club's Major League catching instructor from 1996-99, and again from 2003-04. In 1996, he was a roving catching instructor for the club and managed Single-A Oneonta. He joined the Yankees in 1989 as Triple-A Columbus' strength and catching coach and was the Yankees' catching and bullpen coach at the Major League level in 1990.

Overall, he has coached or scouted for seven teams that have reached the World Series, with five of those clubs-including the 1996, '98 and '99 Yankees-going on to become world champions.

As a player, Tuck was signed by Montreal as a free agent in 1977 and caught for three seasons in the Expos minor league system (1977-79).

Hillman, 50, will be the Yankees' special assistant, major and minor league operations. Prior to spending the last three years (2011-13) as the Los Angeles Dodgers' bench coach, he was the manager of the Kansas City Royals for parts of three seasons from the start of 2008 into 2010, compiling a 152-207 (.423) record.

He also managed the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from 2003-07, guiding the club to two Japan Series appearances (2006-07), including the 2006 title.

This season will mark Hillman's return to the Yankees organization. He previously managed six different Yankees minor league teams from 1990-2001, compiling an 855-771 (.529) record over the 12-year span. He led Triple-A Columbus from 1999-2001 (225-203, .526), Double-A Norwich from 1997-98 (139-145 .489), Single-A Tampa in 1996 (84-50, .627), Single-A Greensboro in 1991-92 and '94-95 (288-274, .512), Single-A Prince William in 1993 (67-73, .479) and Single-A Oneonta in 1990 (52-26, .667). 

Hillman began his coaching career with Single-A Prince William at the age of 26 in 1989 after two years as a scout in the Cleveland organization (1987-88) and a three-year minor league playing career as an infielder with the Indians.

Quade, 56, will be the organization's roving outfield and baserunning instructor. He most recently served as manager of the Chicago Cubs from August 23, 2010, through the end of the 2011 season, going 95-104 (.477) in 199 games.

He joined the Cubs organization in 2003 as manager of Triple-A Iowa, compiling a 289-279 (.509) record in four seasons. He was promoted to the Major League coaching staff as third base coach from 2007 until being named manager during the 2010 season.

Of his 19 years of minor league coaching experience, 17 were as a manager, including a PCL and Triple-A World Series title in 1999 with Vancouver and a 1996 Midwest League title with Single-A West Michigan. Quade compiled a 1,213-1,165 (.510) record as a manager in the minors, garnering "Manager of the Year" Awards in 1993 at Triple-A Ottawa of the International League and 1991 at Double-A Harrisburg of the Eastern League.

Krause, 40, has been hired as the Yankees' strength and conditioning coordinator. He spent the last 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, including the last nine seasons (2005-13) as the club's strength and conditioning coordinator.