Former Yankees, Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli joins Padres staff: Sources

The Padres have added former major league catcher Francisco Cervelli to manager Bob Melvin's coaching staff, sources told The Athletic’s Dennis Lin. Cervelli will replace catching instructor Rod Barajas, who coached in the San Diego organization for eight seasons.

Cervelli, 35, retired in 2020 after 13 seasons, seven of which he spent with the Yankees (who signed him as an international free agent in 2003) and five of which he spent with the Pirates. He won a World Series in New York in 2009 and helped the Pirates win 98 games in 2015, his first year in Pittsburgh. He last played for the Marlins.

Cervelli, a well-respected backstop known for smart game-calling and advanced framing ability, stopped playing after a spate of concussions marred the final years of his career. He made seven documented trips to the concussion injured list, six of them in his last four seasons, according to a log on his MLB.com profile.

Cervelli alluded to a return to baseball when he visited Pittsburgh and PNC Park in September for an event at the Roberto Clemente Museum. In a conversation with The Athletic's Rob Biertempfel, Cervelli said, "I think I'm going to come back in baseball at some point. I would love to do TV, and at some point, I would love to be a manager. I think I'd be a good manager."

When he meets up with the Padres in spring training, Cervelli will reunite with starter Joe Musgrove. Cervelli caught 16 of Musgrove's starts in Pittsburgh from 2018-2019.

(Photo: Justin Berl / Getty Images)

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