Cubs announce 2015 Major League coaching staff

The Chicago Cubs today announced manager Rick Renteria's major league coaching staff for the 2015 season.

New to the staff in 2015 are John Mallee (hitting coach) and Doug Dascenzo (first base/outfield coach).Chris Bosio (pitching coach), Brandon Hyde (bench coach), Gary Jones (third base/infield coach), Lester Strode (bullpen coach), Mike Borzello (catching and strategy coach), Jose Castro (quality assurance coach) and Franklin Font (staff assistant) return to the coaching staff in their previous roles. Eric Hinske will shift from first base/outfield coach to assistant hitting coach.

Bosio, 51, returns for his fourth season as the club's major league pitching coach. Overall, this is his third stint as a big league pitching coach, previously coaching in the majors for Tampa Bay in 2003 and Milwaukee in 2009. A veteran of 11 big league seasons, the righthander worked as a special assignment pitching coach in Seattle's system from 2000-02, including a stint as Triple-A Tacoma's pitching coach, before joining Lou Piniella's staff in Tampa Bay.

Dascenzo, 50, joins the Cubs as first base and outfield coach, marking a return to the organization that drafted him in 1985 and for whom he played five big league seasons from 1988-92. Dascenzo served as the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves in 2014, his first as a coach at the big league level. Prior to joining the Braves in 2013 as a minor league outfield/baserunning instructor, he spent 13 seasons as a manager or coach in San Diego's system. Dascenzo spent seven years in the big leagues as an outfielder and has spent the last 16 years as a coach or instructor starting in 1999.

Hyde, 41, enters his second year as bench coach and fourth in the Cubs organization. This is his second stint in the role, previously serving as bench coach for Jack McKeon and the Marlins from June 23, 2010 through 2011. Overall, Hyde has 12 years of coaching experience, including nine seasons in the Marlins chain. Hyde joined the Cubs in December, 2011 as minor league field coordinator and was named director of player development on August 29, 2012.

Jones, 53, returns for his second season as third base coach and infield coach after spending the last 11 years in the Padres organization. Prior to joining the Cubs, he had one year of big league experience as the first base coach for Oakland in 1998. Jones has 15 seasons of experience as a minor league manager, earning four minor league manager of the year awards. He originally signed with the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in 1982.

Mallee, 45, begins his fifth season as a major league hitting coach, his first with the Cubs. He previously served as a big league hitting coach with the Marlins (2010-11) and Astros (2013-14). Overall, Mallee has 19 seasons of experience in pro baseball. Prior to moving to the big leagues, he spent eight-plus seasons as the Marlins minor league hitting instructor. A Chicago native, Mallee also served as a minor league hitting coach within the Brewers and Expos organizations starting in 1996. He spent two seasons as an infielder in the Phillies system from 1991-92.

Strode, 56, returns for his ninth season as Cubs bullpen coach and his 27th year in the Cubs organization. Prior to his current role, Strode spent 11 seasons as the organization's minor league pitching coordinator (1996-2006), two seasons with the big league club as a pitching assistant (1994-95) and five seasons as a minor league pitching coach (1989-1993). Strode pitched professionally in the minor leagues for nine seasons (1980-88).

Hinske, 37, shifts to assistant hitting coach after joining the Cubs staff as first base/outfield coach for the 2014 campaign. His 12-year major league career (2002-13) included 2002 American League Rookie of the Year honors with Toronto and three-straight World Series appearances bookended by championships with Boston in 2007 and the New York Yankees in 2009. Hinske was originally selected by the Cubs in the 17th round of the 1998 Draft.

Borzello, 44, enters his fourth season with the Cubs and his second in an expanded role of catching and strategy coach. Prior to joining Chicago, he spent four seasons (2008-11) with the Los Angeles Dodgers as their bullpen catcher, a stint that followed 12 years in the New York Yankees organization starting in 1996 (roles included bullpen catcher and batting practice pitcher). Overall, Borzello has 19 years of experience with three major league clubs.

Castro, 56, returns for his second season as the club's quality assurance coach after spending the previous 25 years as a minor league hitting coordinator or hitting coach in the Kansas City, Seattle, Florida, San Diego and Montreal organizations. He also served an interim stint as Seattle's major league hitting coach in 2008.

Font, 36, returns for his 21st season in the Cubs organization, his fourth at the major league level. Font played in the Cubs system for six seasons from 1995-2000 before becoming a Single-A Daytona staff assistant in 2001. He served the Cubs as a minor league manager, hitting coach and coordinator from 2002-11.