Chicago Cubs Make Final Hires For Craig Counsell's Staff

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly hired a new bullpen coach and a new catching coach for 2024.

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly made the final hires for manager Craig Counsell’s first coaching staff.

Per The Athletic, the Cubs will hire Darren Holmes as bullpen coach and Mart Strittmatter as catching coach. The Cubs have not officially announced the hirings.

Holmes replaces Chris Young and Strittmatter replaces Craig Driver, who were a part of former manager David Ross’s staff.

Holmes was the assistant pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles for three seasons and helped work with its impressive young staff, which includes All-MLB selection Kyle Bradish and rookie Grayson Rodriguez. Holmes pitched in the Majors for 13 years as a reliever.

Holmes left the Orioles after the season.

Strittmatter has spent nearly his entire professional career as a player and coach with the Colorado Rockies. He was on Clint Hurdle’s staff in Pittsburgh and he’s been the Rockies’ minor-league catching coordinator for a decade, with additional field coordinator duties since 2022.

Counsell was given the freedom to makes changes to the coaching staff, the most notable being his bench coach. The Cubs hired Ryan Flaherty, who was Bob Melvin’s bench coach in 2023 with San Diego, to assume the same position for the Cubs after the departure of Andy Green to the New York Mets.

Flaherty played seven years in the Majors and the Padres was his first coaching job.

Counsell retained hitting coach Dustin Kelly but hired John Mallee to be Kelly’s assistant. Mallee replaces Johnny Washington, who is taking over as hitting coach under Ron Washington with the Los Angeles Angels. Mallee was the Cubs’ Triple-A hitting coach.

Other Cubs coaches expected to return are pitching coach Tommy Hottovy, assistant pitching coach Daniel Moskos, first base coach Mike Napoli and third base coach Willie Harris.