Mathis, Sagara, Wilson round out Rangers coaching staff

The Texas Rangers have announced that Doug Mathis and Brendan Sagara have been made co-pitching coaches for the major league staff for 2021. In addition, Bobby Wilson has been named catching coach.

Mathis was the Rangers’ bullpen coach in 2020, and had been previously reported to be replacing Julio Rangel as the team’s pitching coach. Mathis will be in the dugout during games, while Sagara will be in the bullpen, but the intent appears to be for the pair to work together in the role of pitching coach.

Sagara, 45, was hired prior to the 2020 season from the Chicago Cubs, where he had been their minor league pitching coordinator. Sagara was slated to be the pitching coach for the AAA Nashville Sounds for 2020, but with the pandemic canceling the minor league season, Sagara worked at the Alternate Training Site this summer instead.

Wilson, 37, was a longtime backup catcher who spent parts of 10 seasons in the major leagues before retiring after the 2019 season. Wilson was hired in December, 2019, to be the manager for the AA Frisco Roughriders, where it was expected that catching prospect Sam Huff would be spending the 2020 season. Wilson, like Sagara, spent the summer at the Alternate Training Site, and reportedly worked extensively with Huff there.

Wilson will also be working with minor leaguers in this new role, per Evan Grant.