Mariners part ways with coaches Prieto, Brower

October 1st, 2019

SEATTLE -- While manager Scott Servais is expected to return for his fifth season with the Mariners next year, the club has dismissed two members of his coaching staff and also is reassigning pitching coach Paul Davis, according to team sources.

Third-base coach Chris Prieto and bullpen coach Jim Brower will not have their contracts renewed, while Davis will shift into more of an analytics role.

Prieto, who also worked with the Mariners' outfielders, has been with the club for seven years, including the past six on the Major League staff. He was a quality assurance coach under previous manager Lloyd McClendon from 2014-16, then promoted to a special projects coach on Servais’ staff in '17 before becoming the first-base coach in ’18 and third-base coach this past year.

The 47-year-old played briefly with the Angels in 2005 and spent 13 seasons in the Minor Leagues before getting into coaching in '11 with the Padres’ Short-A Eugene Emeralds and then being hired by the Mariners to manage their Rookie League team in Pulaski in '13.

Brower, 46, spent the past two seasons on Servais’ staff as an assistant coach in 2018 and as bullpen coach this past year. He previously had been a Minor League pitching coordinator with the Cubs from 2016-17 and a pitching coach in the Royals’ Minor League organization from 2011-15.

Brower was not with the Mariners the final week of the season as he dealt with a family medical issue, with Brian De Lunas -- who spent this year as the organization's director of pitching development -- taking his spot in the bullpen.

Davis, 55, joined the Mariners this season after six years in the Cardinals’ organization, where he worked with their pitching analytics and Minor League programs.

Barring further changes, the Mariners will retain bench coach Manny Acta, hitting coach Tim Laker, first base/infield coach Perry Hill and Major League field coordinator Jared Sandberg, but would now have three spots to fill on their Major League staff.

The Mariners went 68-94 this year in a "stepback" season after trading away many of their veteran players to acquire younger prospects, leaving Servais with a four-year record of 321-327.