Former SF Giants High-A hitting coach joins Seattle Mariners' coaching staff

A former SF Giants hitting coach is officially on the move. The Seattle Mariners recently rounded out their coaching staff, announcing that Tommy Joseph has been added as a hitting coach to Scott Servais' staff.

Former SF Giants High-A hitting coach joins Seattle Mariners' coaching staff

Interesting, does anyone remember that Servais had two separate stints with the Giants? He spent the entire 1999 campaign with San Francisco, then signed with the Colorado Rockies for the following year. The veteran catcher was placed on waivers only to be scooped up by the Giants to finish the 2000 season.

Of course, this is not to be confused with relief pitcher Scott Service, who pitched for the Giants in 1995 and had one of his best seasons in his 12-year career with San Francisco.

For Joseph, this will be his third organization in the past four years. That is not uncommon with coaches and instructors as they typically operate under one-year deals. However, a move to Seattle's coaching staff is also a bit of a promotion for the former power-hitting bat.

Joseph quietly transitioned into a coaching role in 2021 after a pro career that began in 2010. He was selected in the second round of the 2009 draft by the Giants out of Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. Another interesting tidbit is that this is the same high school as former pitching prospect Tim Alderson, whom the Giants selected in the first round of the 2007 draft. Alderson and Joseph were battery mates in high school.

The former Giants catching prospect started his coaching career with the New York Mets, serving as a hitting coach for their Low-A and Double-A affiliates in 2021 and 2022, respectively. He returned to the Giants organization to serve as a hitting coach for the Eugene Emeralds this past season.

The 32-year-old coach worked with some of the organization's top position-player prospects, including Wade Meckler, Aeverson Arteaga, and Grant McCray. All three players performed well in High-A. Meckler's stint with Eugene was brief as he made a meteoric rise through the system this past year.

For Joseph, this will be his first stint on a major league coaching staff. The fact that he has moved around so much in recent years is a sign that he is in demand and being included on Seattle's coaching staff is a nice reward for that.