The Phillies have added two veteran major league coaches to their staff.
The team announced the hiring of Rick Kranitz as bullpen coach and John McLaren as catching coach on Wednesday.
Kranitz, 57, spent the last five seasons as pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers. He previously served as pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles and Florida Marlins.
McLaren, 64, has 23 years of major-league coaching experience. He has also had stints as a manager with the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals.
Kranitz replaces Rod Nichols, whose contract was not renewed. McLaren takes over for John Mizerock, whose contract also was not renewed. In addition to working with the catchers, Mizerock was assistant hitting coach and served as third base coach when Pete Mackanin took over as manager in June.
Lead hitting coach Steve Henderson will return to the staff, as will pitching coach Bob McClure.
McLaren is a former catcher. He will hold an important position as the Phillies continue to groom Cameron Rupp and prospects Andrew Knapp, Jorge Alfaro and Gabriel Lino begin to get looks in spring training.
MLB
The Phillies could still have more moves on their coaching staff. Both first base coach Juan Samuel and bench coach Larry Bowa have been invited to return. However, Bowa is a candidate for the Miami Marlins manager post and Samuel could also have other options.
The Phillies, of course, are still without a general manager. Club president Andy MacPhail is well into the interview process and could soon be ready to make a hire. Los Angeles Angels executive Matt Klentak, who worked under MacPhail during MacPhail's time as the Baltimore Orioles' president of baseball operations, has long been considered a top candidate. Kansas City Royals executive J.J. Piccolo is considered another top candidate. The Phils have also been linked to executives Ross Atkins (Cleveland), Matt Slater (St. Louis) and Dan Kantrovitz (Oakland) in media reports. There are other candidates, as well.
The team’s annual organizational meetings begin Monday in Florida. MacPhail has said it would be possible but "ambitious" to have a hiring by then.