Philadelphia Phillies hire recently-retired MLB utilityman Jake Elmore as minor-league coach
Longtime MLB utilityman Jake Elmore is saying goodbye to playing the game and hello to coaching.
When the Philadelphia Phillies announced their minor league coaching staff this week, eagle-eyed fans noticed Elmore’s name on the Low-A Clearwater roster.
Elmore was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 34th round of the 2008 Draft and did well in their farm system. He made his MLB debut on August 11, 2012, and his big-league career included stints with the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. In between, he spent time in the minor league systems of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A’s, Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins, Cleveland Guardians, and finally, the Phillies.
While he wasn’t a strong offensive contributor, Elmore was valued for his defense. He was a lifetime .215/.292/.275 hitter with a .567 OPS. He made 18+ appearances at every infield position, 45 outfield appearances, and even pitched and caught.
The utilityman’s career included several historic moments. In 2013, he caught and pitched in an August 19 game for the Astros, becoming only the 14th player in MLB history to do both in the same game. That season, he spent time at every one of the nine positions, a rare feat.
Elmore signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies in June of last year, and played 15 games for Triple-A before being released in late August. But his experience with numerous organizations at the minor and major-league level are apparently valuable enough that the Phillies are giving him his first coaching job.