SEATTLE, Wash. – Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and Mariners Manager Scott Servais announced today that the team promoted Pete Woodworth as the club’s new Major League pitching coach, Carson Vitale as the team’s new Major League field coordinator and Jarret DeHart as the Mariners assistant hitting coach.

Manny Acta, Brian De Lunas, Perry Hill, Tim Laker and Jared Sandberg have all been invited to return to the Mariners Major League staff in 2020.

“We have a hard-working coaching staff with a diverse set of skills and experiences,” Servais said. “I am really excited about the ability of this group to connect with all of our players, and about the passion they have for teaching and helping our guys improve on a daily basis.”

Jarret DeHart (Asst. Hitting Coach) was roving minor league hitting strategist for the Mariners last season. In that role, he often spent time with the Seattle big league hitters, as well as his work throughout Seattle’s minor league system. He spent the 2018 season as the hitting coach for the Arizona League Mariners. He played collegiately at Louisiana State University (2013-14) and Tulane University (2015-17).

Carson Vitale (ML Field Coordinator) spent the past two seasons (2018-2019) as the Mariners minor league field coordinator where he was responsible for all aspects of the on-field work done in the Player Development department by the Mariners players and staff. He joined the Mariners after spending two seasons (2016-17) as the Los Angeles Dodgers International Field Coordinator. He also spent four seasons in the player development department of the Los Angeles Angels, including two seasons as the hitting coach for the Arizona League Angels club (2012) and the Orem club, the Angels affiliate in the Pioneer League. Carson was manager of the Dominican Summer League Angels in 2014-15. He is a graduate (2010) of Creighton University, and was a 38th round selection by the Texas Rangers in the 2010 First Year Player Draft.

SEATTLE MARINERS 2020 MAJOR LEAGUE MANAGER, COACHING STAFF

Manager – Scott Servais (5th year as Manager, 18th year in coaching/player development in pro baseball)

Third Base Coach – Manny Acta (3rd year as Third Base Coach, 5th year on Seattle staff, 26th year as pro coach)

Bullpen Coach – Brian De Lunas (2nd year as Bullpen Coach, 3rd year on Seattle staff, 3rd year as pro coach)

First Base/Infield Coach – Perry Hill (2nd year as First Base/Infield Coach, 28th year as coach in pro baseball)

Hitting Coach – Tim Laker (2nd year as Hitting Coach, 14th year as coach in pro baseball)

Bench Coach – Jared Sandberg (1st year as Bench Coach, 2nd year on Seattle staff, 12th year as pro coach)

Major League Field Coordinator – Carson Vitale (1st year as ML Field Coordinator, 9th year as pro coach)

Pitching Coach – Pete Woodworth (1st year as Pitching Coach, 5th year as coach in pro baseball)

Asst. Hitting Coach – Jarret DeHart (1st year as Asst. Hitting Coach, 3rd year as coach in pro baseball)

Pete Woodworth (Pitching Coach) spent the 2019 season as the pitching coach for the Arkansas Travelers, the Mariners affiliate in the AA Texas League. Following the season, Woodworth was named the Texas League Coach of the Year. The Travelers pitching staff finished the season with 1,324 strikeouts, the second-highest total in the history of the Texas League. The 2020 season will be his fifth in the Mariners organization. He spent 2017 and 2018 as the pitching coach for High-A Modesto after joining the Mariners on June 22, 2016 as the pitching coach at A Clinton. He came to the Seattle organization from his alma mater, Florida Gulf Coast University.

Manny Acta (Third Base Coach) returns to the third base coaching box after spending the past two seasons (2018-2019) as Seattle’s bench coach. He originally joined the Mariners organization as third base coach, a role he held for two seasons (2016-17). The 2019 season was his 15th season as a big league coach or manager. He managed the Cleveland Indians (2010-12) and Washington Nationals (2007-09) and, in addition to Seattle, has been a Major League third base coach with New York-NL (2005-06) and Montreal (2002-04).

Brian De Lunas (Bullpen Coach) returns to the role of Mariners bullpen coach after spending the 2019 season as the club’s Director of Pitching Development Strategies. He was originally hired as Seattle’s bullpen coach for the 2018 season.

Perry Hill (First Base/Infield Coach) will be in his second season with the Mariners, but his 25th as a big league coach, overall, in 2020. From July 1 to the end of the season, Mariners infielders (1B, 2B, SS, 3B) led the American League with a .985 fielding percentage (1,512 TC, 22 E) and were tie-first (with CLE) for fewest errors committed.

Tim Laker (Hitting Coach) returns for his second season as big league hitting coach after joining the Mariners in 2019. The 2020 season will be his fourth as a big league coach; he was assistant hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017-18. Last season, 37 different players had at least one at-bat for Seattle. The club finished third in the American League (sixth in the Majors) in walks with 583; four of the five teams above them advanced to the postseason.

Jared Sandberg (Bench Coach) will be in his second season as a member of the Mariners Major League staff in 2020. He joined the club in 2019 as ML Field Coordinator after spending the previous 11 years in the Rays organization, including 10 years (2009-2018) as a minor league manager. He compiled a career mark of 612-522 (.540) as a minor league manager, and led his teams to 7 winning seasons and 3 league titles.

In addition, Nasusel Cabrera will remain with the big league staff in his position as batting practice pitcher and Fleming Báez will return as bullpen catcher.

Paul Davis, who served as pitching coach in 2019, will move to a new role as Chief Pitching Strategist for the organization.