Carlos Mendoza (baseball coach)

Carlos Enrique Mendoza (born November 27, 1979) is a Venezuelan professional baseball coach for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.

Carlos Mendoza
New York Yankees – No. 64
Infielder / Bench Coach
Born: (1979-11-27) November 27, 1979
Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
Teams
As coach

Career

Mendoza played in Minor League Baseball for 13 seasons.[1] He entered the Yankees Minor League system for the 2009 season as a member of the Staten Island Yankees coaching staff before joining the Charleston RiverDogs in 2010. During the 2011 campaign, he served as the manager of the Gulf Coast League Yankees. He then returned to the RiverDogs as their manager before the 2012 season.[2][3] He became a roving defensive instructor in the Yankees' organization after the 2012 season.[4]

After the 2017 season, Mendoza gained a promotion as an infield coach for the Yankees' major league team.[5]

Mendoza has been credited as a team leader both on and off the field – being hired as an infield coach, despite only playing outfield during his career.[6] He has a number of rituals before, during, and after games that set him apart from other coaches. According to Michael Kay on his radio show, before each game at Yankee Stadium Mendoza ceremoniously tosses exactly 40 sunflower seeds in the grass behind home plate (one for each man on the extended Yankees roster).[7] The prayer he recites after he tosses the seeds is unknown to the public.[7]

On November 11, 2019, Mendoza was named the bench coach of the Yankees, replacing Josh Bard.[8]

On June 6, 2021, Mendoza was ejected for the first time in his MLB career by second base umpire Bill Miller. The game also saw fellow Yankees coach Phil Nevin ejected by home plate umpire Gabe Morales in the previous inning.[9]

References
  1. Miller, Andrew. "Mendoza starts 1st season as manager of RiverDogs". postandcourier.com.
  2. Carlos Mendoza will be manager of RiverDogs. Post and Courier. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
  3. "Yankees Tab Carlos Mendoza as RiverDogs Manager". Charleston RiverDogs News.
  4. Staff reports. "Pedrique to coach RiverDogs". postandcourier.com.
  5. Phil Nevin anticipating season with Yankees. MLB News. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
  6. "Who will be on the 2018 Yankees coaching staff?". pinstripealley.com. 12 December 2017.
  7. The Michael Kay Show. ESPN.com.
  8. Ackert, Kristie (November 11, 2019). "Carlos Mendoza will replace Josh Bard as the Yankees' bench coach". nydailynews.com.
  9. "MLB Ejections 070-71 - Gabe Morales & Bill Miller (NYY x2)".
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