Pirates' New Bullpen Coach Leaning on Past Experiences
Miguel Perez's rise through the Pittsburgh Pirates' coaching staff has reached the big leagues.
The Pirates hired Perez as their next bullpen coach after he spent the last three seasons as the manager for their Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians. Perez will take over for Justin Meccage, who had been the bullpen coach since 2020 before they parted ways at the end of the 2024 season.
The Pirates' bullpen struggled mightily last season, boasting the fourth-highest ERA in baseball and tied for the second-most blown leads in the ninth inning. Perez noted his experience as a catcher and how he feels that experience can help get the most out of whoever is in Pittsburgh's bullpen next season.
"I'm excited about this role," Perez said. "Bringing the experience that I have from being a catcher, that's what makes me excited about it. I love to build relationships with the pictures. That's what I that was my strength back when I played. So I'm gonna really bring reinforce the winning mindset."
Perez was signed as an international free agent in 2000 by the Cincinnati Reds, and he made a brief appearance in the big leagues in 2005. He spent most of his career in the minor leagues, which included three stints with the Pirates in Triple-A Indianapolis. In 2014, he entered the coaching ranks and then worked his way up to becoming the manager of the Bristol Pirates of the Appalachian League in 2017.
After two seasons in Bristol, he spent the next two seasons as the manager for High-A Greensboro in 2019 and Double-A Altoona in 2021 before becoming the manager for Triple-A Indianapolis in 2022.
While the role is much more centralized, getting the most out of his players remains the main goal for Perez, and given the talent he believes Pittsburgh has in its bullpen, he feels the group of pitchers can turn things around in 2025.
"We have so much talent in the minor leagues and the big leagues," Perez said. "Our bullpen has so many good arms and the bullpen is going to be great this year. It's going to be strong. Being able to be sitting next to them at the highest level, and being able to keep pushing them, and to get the best version of them would be great."
