According to Dejan Kovacevic, Jeff Banister will be the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bench coach in 2011, while Nick Leyva will be the third base coach.
Previously it was reported that Leyva, the former bench coach in Toronto, would be the bench coach, and Banister would be the third base coach. Banister was the Pirates’ bench coach at the end of the year, replacing Gary Varsho in early August. Leyva will also serve as the infield instructor for the Pirates.
The Pirates also announced four new coaching additions to round out the staff. Luis Silverio was added as the first base coach, Euclides Rojas was added as the bullpen coach, Mark Strittmatter was added as a general coach, and Herberto Andrade was added as the bullpen catcher.
Silverio has spent the past 35 years in the Kansas City Royals organization. He split time as either the first or third base coach for most of the decade, and most recent was the minor league outfield coordinator. Silverio will also serve as the outfield and base running coach.
Rojas has been the Pirates’ Latin American field coordinator since 2005. He also spent 2003-2004 as the Boston Red Sox’s bullpen coach.
