The Phillies' methodical construction of a coaching staff for the 2018 season continued on Tuesday when new manager Gabe Kapler announced the hiring of Rob Thomson as bench coach.
The hiring leaves just one remaining opening on the first-year manager's staff: first base coach.
The team previously hired Rick Kranitz as pitching coach, Chris Young as assistant pitching coach, Jim Gott as bullpen coach, Dusty Wathan as third base coach, John Mallee as hitting coach and Pedro Guerrero as assistant hitting coach.
With Kranitz, Mallee and Thomson, Kapler has plenty of experience on his first big-league staff. Kranitz, who has been with the Phillies for two seasons - first as bullpen coach and then as assistant pitching coach - has 10 years experience as a lead big-league pitching coach with the Marlins, Brewers and Orioles. Mallee was previously a big-league hitting coach with the Cubs and Astros.
Thomson, 54, comes to the Phillies after spending 28 seasons in the Yankees organization in a variety of major-league and player-development roles. He was most recently bench coach under former Yankees skipper Joe Girardi. Previously, he had served on manager Joe Torre's staff.
Thomson, a former infielder/catcher in the Tigers' minor-league system, had been a candidate for the Yankees' recent manager opening. Ultimately, Aaron Boone was hired to replace Girardi.
