The Miami Marlins hire Clayton McCullough as their next manager, ESPN reports. McCullough becomes the 17th manager in Marlins franchise history and the third since 2022. He takes over a 2024 Marlins team that finished in last place in the National League East at 62-100.
McCullough, 44, has served as the Dodgers' first base coach since 2021. He previously spent several seasons in the Blue Jays' minor league system. He and Marlins assistant general manager Gabe Kapler moved to the Dodgers' player development department. As a player, McCullough was selected in the 22nd round by Cleveland out of East Carolina University in 2002. He then spent parts of four seasons as a catcher in the Cleveland system. McCullough never reached the majors as a player, but made it to the Triple-A level in his final season in 2005.
The Marlins were looking for a new leader of the dugout after Skip Schumaker left at the end of the 2024 season. Following the departure of former general manager Kim Ng, who had hired Schumaker, and the turn to a profound crisis under Ng's successor, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix, Schumaker's contract was amended to remove a club option for 2025. The move was likely made as a favor to Schumaker, who preferred to pursue other opportunities in baseball. Schumaker led the Marlins to 84 wins and a surprising playoff berth in 2023, earning him NL Manager of the Year honors. However, this preceded the massive fighting of 2024.
The Marlins' short-term successes under McCullough don't seem particularly promising given the organization's current status as a rebuilding team and the questionable commitment of principal owner Bruce Sherman. Presumably, though, McCullough will be shown some level of patience when it comes to the Marlins' place in the standings and will instead be judged on how he leads the development of the Marlins' young players who are in place and arriving soon .