Mariners hire Brian DeLunas as Bullpen Coach, complete MLB coaching staff

The Mariners officially have a full coaching staff for the 2018 season.

If you’re thinking “did the Mariners hire an amalgamation of Yonder Alonso, Adam Lind, and Marc Rzepczynski?” the answer is a hard maybe.

If you’re thinking “Great, but uhh... what’s a bullpen coach actually do?” the answer is uncertain. Ostensibly they are a second pitching coach whose abilities trend towards making pre-game adjustments and being physically ready. DeLunas’ work at CSE Baseball in St. Louis was apparently heavily tied to the types of advanced training methods the Mariners are looking to embrace organizationally. The emphasis in Jerry Dipoto’s statement on DeLunas was on his ability to combine high-tech training information with mental preparation and communicate those concepts with players. Current Mariners reliever David Phelps was a player for DeLunas at the University of Missouri.

Welcome to Seattle, Mr. DeLunas. I hope you’re good with new names and faces.