The Reds have hired Mike Napoli for an unspecified role within the organization, WEEI’s Rob Bradford reports (Bluesky link). Napoli spent the previous five seasons on the Cubs’ staff as a quality assurance coach and then as first base coach before being let go in October.
New Reds manager Terry Francona is quite familiar with Napoli, as Napoli played under Francona on the 2016 Indians team that fell just short of winning the World Series. Napoli hit .239/.335/.465 with 34 homers in 645 plate appearances as Cleveland’s everyday first baseman/DH, bringing plenty of pop to the club’s run to the American League pennant. That ended up being the second-last season of Napoli’s 12-year career in the majors, as his production fell off with the Rangers in 2017, and a return to Cleveland in 2018 didn’t result in any time at the big league level.
It isn’t yet known what Napoli’s duties will entail with the Reds, as the team has already announced its coaching staff for Francona’s first season as the club’s skipper. Co-bench coach Brad Mills and hitting coach Chris Valaika are new hires who also have past Cleveland ties to Francona, though the majority of the coaching staff are holdovers from former manager David Bell’s staff. Since there hasn’t yet been word of any sudden departures from the Cincinnati staff, a new position could be created for Napoli to join the mix, or is it possible Napoli is taking on a non-coaching job.