Breaking: Former Angels Backstop Makes NL Move, New Role…
The Cincinnati Reds have brought former Los Angeles Angels catcher Mike Napoli on board.
Per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, Napoli will be a staff assistant who is not officially on the coaching staff.
Over the past five seasons, Mike Napoli served on the Chicago Cubs’ coaching staff, starting as a quality assurance coach under manager David Ross. In 2022, he transitioned to the role of first base coach and remained in that position even after Craig Counsell replaced Ross last fall.
New Reds manager Terry Francona knows Napoli well, having managed him on the 2016 Cleveland team that came just shy of a World Series title.
Napoli was dismissed by the Cubs in October, making him available to pursue other opportunities. The Reds, who recently brought former Red Sox and Guardians manager Francona out of retirement, appear to have seized the chance to add the 43-year-old to their organization.
Serving as Cleveland’s primary first baseman and designated hitter, Napoli posted a .239/.335/.465 slash line with 34 home runs across 645 plate appearances, providing crucial power during the team’s run to the American League pennant. That season marked the penultimate year of Napoli’s 12-year MLB career, as his performance declined with the Rangers in 2017, and a return to Cleveland in 2018 didn’t lead to any major league action.
The specifics of Napoli’s role with the Reds remain unclear, as the team has already finalized its coaching staff for Francona’s first season as manager.
New additions include co-bench coach Brad Mills and hitting coach Chris Valaika, both of whom share Cleveland ties with Francona, while most of the staff are holdovers from former manager David Bell’s tenure.
With no reported departures from the current coaching group, Napoli may either step into a newly created position or take on a role outside of the coaching staff. Per reports, the latter is more likely.
Before transitioning into coaching, Mike Napoli enjoyed a 12-year MLB career, beginning with a five-year stretch with the Los Angeles Angels. He later spent two seasons with the Texas Rangers, where he earned All-Star honors as a catcher.
