The Giants are reportedly hiring Justin Meccage to serve as their pitching coach under new manager Tony Vitello, according to a report from FanSided’s Robert Murray.
Additionally, catching coach Alex Burg will return to next year’s coaching staff, a team source told this news organization. Burg will maintain the role of catching coach and take on the additional role of MLB field coordinator.
Meccage, 45, spent last season as the pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate. Prior to that position, Meccage worked in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization from 2011-24, serving as the team’s bullpen coach from 2020-24.
The Brewers posted the second-lowest ERA in the majors last season (3.59), and Meccage worked with several pitchers with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds who contributed at the major-league level, chief among them being All-Star rookie Jacob Misiorowski.
San Francisco’s top priority this offseason will be adding pitching, both starters and relievers.
The Giants’ rotation currently features Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp. The team has several young pitchers who could make starts next season — Carson Whisenhunt, Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, Trevor McDonald, Kai-Wei Teng, Carson Seymour — but is in need of established starters who can fill out the rotation. The bullpen is also in need of reinforcement after being decimated by trades and injuries last season.
Vitello’s coaching staff currently features Meccage, Burg, Jayce Tingler (in a role not yet determined), hitting coach Hunter Mense, assistant hitting coach Oscar Bernard, quality control coach Taira Uematsu and bullpen catcher Eliezer Zambrano.
The coaches from last year’s staff who are not returning include pitching coach J.P. Martinez, hitting coach Pat Burrell, assistant hitting coach Damon Minor, bullpen coach Garvin Alston, bench coach Ryan Christenson, third-base coach Matt Williams and first-base coach Mark Hallberg.
Giants don’t protect any players from Rule 5 Draft
The Giants did not add any prospects who were eligible for the Rule 5 Draft to their 40-man roster ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Opposing teams will have an opportunity to select several of the Giants’ former first-picks in this upcoming Rule 5 Draft, a list that includes outfielder Hunter Bishop (2019), right-hander Will Bednar (’21) and left-hander Reggie Crawford. They likely will not be selected since Rule 5 Draft picks are automatically assigned to a team’s 26-man roster.