The St. Louis Cardinals will have a new coaching position to fill in their organization as Jason Simontacchi has accepted an offer to join the Kansas City Royals as their assistant minor league pitching coordinator.
Announcing the move on his Facebook page, Simontacchi has spent the last five years as a pitching coach in the Cardinals minor leagues–beginning with Peoria in 2013 and spending the last four seasons in Springfield (AA).
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Named the 2017 Texas League Coach of the Year, Simontacchi noted with this new position he would be able to spend more time at home with his family during the season. He made his ML debut with the Cardinals in 2002 and pitched in 83 games for the organization.
Simontacchi’s not the only former Cardinals player or coach to join the Royals as Cal Eldred will serve as the team’s pitching coach this season and Terry Bradshaw takes over as hitting coach.
Eldred spent the last three of his fourteen big league seasons in St. Louis and then was later hired as a special assistant to John Mozeliak. Eldred left that role after 2015 and has served as the Royals player development assistant to the general manager the last two years.
A 9th round pick of St. Louis in 1990, Bradshaw made his ML debut with the Cardinals in 1995 and appeared in 34 total games with the team in two seasons. He spent the previous five years as the Kansas City Minor League Hitting Coordinator.
Reggie Sanders also works for Kansas City, serving as a special assistant to the general manager.
Simontacchi is currently in Venezuela, working as the pitching coach with Leone del Caracas, who begin a playoff tomorrow against Tigres de Aragua.
