Angels add Marcus Thames, Phil Plantier and Bill Hezel to coaching staff
The Angels have hired Marcus Thames as their new hitting coach, Phil Plantier as their assistant hitting coach and Bill Hezel as their assistant pitching coach, the team announced on Monday.
Paul Sorrento, who had been an assistant hitting coach, will remain in the organization in a role to be determined. Last month the Angels announced that the two other hitting coaches — Jeremy Reed and John Mallee — would not be back in their previous roles.
Bullpen coach Dom Chiti and third base coach Mike Gallego, whose reassignment was reported last month, will all remain in the organization in new roles, the team said.
The Angels still have not completed their coaching staff for 2023, because they have not announced a new third base coach.
Thames had been the Miami Marlins hitting coach in 2022, after a stint on the big league staff with the New York Yankees.
Plantier had been the big league hitting coach for the Padres from 2012-14. He has also held jobs jobs in the minors with the Seattle Mariners, Yankees and Marlins.
Hezel had been the director of pitching at Driveline, the high-tech baseball training facility in Seattle. Dozens of prominent major leaguers have come through Driveline in recent years, including Angels pitchers Shohei Ohtani and Patrick Sandoval.
More to come on this story.