Brent Strom Jumped At Opportunity To Join Pirates
It didn't take much for Brent Strom to be excited to join the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The seeds were first planted when he met Pirates ace and 2024 National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes at the All-Star Game in Texas. Once the opportunity to join the Pirates' coaching staff and help develop their young pitchers came about, Strom knew it was one he couldn't pass up.
"I followed this organization, especially the young pitching," Strom said. [I] had a chance to meet Skenes in the All-Star game [and I] got to know him for a short period of time [and I] was very impressed. So when the offer was made at least to interview for this to help out, I jumped at it. I'm very excited to get going again. I'm going to be the best assistant pitching coach that I could possibly be. "
Strom, 76, has been the lead pitching coach in the big leagues since 2014 for the Houston Astros (2014-2021) and Arizona Diamondbacks. He did his best work in Houston, as it made three World Series appearances and won one in 2017. Along with the development of young pitchers like Framber Valdez and Lance McCullers Jr., both of whom went on to be American League Cy Young Award Finalists, Strom was instrumental in the resurgence of Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.
Verlander went 37-15 with a 2.55 ERA and struck out 590 batters over 437 innings pitched in his two full seasons with Strom and he won the AL Cy Young Award in 2019. Cole, who was traded from Pittsburgh to Houston ahead of the 2018 season, went 35-10 with a 2.68 ERA and he struck out 602 batters in his 412.2 innings pitched.
Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen was also a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award in 2022 and 2023 with Strom as the pitching coach.
Now, Strom is tasked with helping pitching coach Oscar Marin manage what could be one of the better young pitching staffs in baseball. Strom noted that Pittsburgh's ability to develop its pitchers throughout its system has caught the eye of the baseball world and now he's ready to help them in any way he can.
"Pitching wise, over here in Pittsburgh, things have obviously been on the uptick," Strom said. "Be it the scouting, be it the development at the minor league level and at the big league level, and it hasn't gone unnoticed by the baseball world. I want to add on as much as I can."
