The Pittsburgh Pirates have recently added a group of minor league coaches, including three former players, one being a coach from the Tampa Bay Rays who has 41 years of experience in pro ball.
Dewey Robinson has been added as the Special Advisor, Pitching Development, Coaching & Player Development. He spent the last 12 years as a pitching coach with the Rays, stepping down after the 2021 season, which he spent as their Director of Pitching Development/Coordinator. I think most people here know that the Rays have done a great job of developing prospects over the years and he’s been there for much of that time. He played the 1979-81 seasons in the majors for the Chicago White Sox, then played in Triple-A with the Pirates in 1982. He has basically been coaching since that final season as a player. That includes ten years with the White Sox, and a minor league pitching coordinator job with the Houston Astros that he took over 24 years ago.
Dan Meyer was added as a minor league pitching coach, filling the spot opened up by the departure of Joel Hanrahan. Meyer pitched in the majors in 2004, then again from 2007 to 2010, including two years with John Baker, who is the Pirates Director, Coaching & Player Development, so they know each other well (Baker was his catcher). Meyer pitched in Triple-A with the Pirates in 2011. He started coach in 2015 with the Atlanta Braves as their minor league pitching rehabilitation coordinator, then moved on to a pitching coach job during the last three seasons. He also served as an interim manager this year in Double-A.
Chris Truby played in the minors for the Pirates in 2007, then coached briefly for them in 2007-08, before moving on to the Philadelphia Phillies for the last 13+ years. He is the new Minor League Infield Coordinator, a spot he held with the Phillies since November 2018. Truby played in the majors during the 2000-03 seasons.
