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Feb 26, 2015; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jeremy Bleich (68) poses for photo day at Pirate City. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Pirates Lose Crucial Member of Pitching Staff

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Dec 11, 2025 2:25 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates saw another important part of their front office depart for a new job elsewhere.

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Jeremy Bleich, the Pirates director of pitching development, was leaving for a new position as the assistant general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Dec. 9.

This leaves the Pirates without one of their most crucial people in the organization, that has made their pitching staff one of the best in baseball.

Jeremy Bleich's Tenure with the Pirates

Bleich first spent time with the Pirates as a pitcher, signing a minor league deal on Nov. 18, 2014.

He made 39 relief appearances in 2015, with 38 of those combined with Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. He finished with a 2.88 ERA over 56.1 innings pitched, 42 strikeouts to 12 walks and a 1.19 WHIP.

Bleich came back to the Pirates after his playing career, starting out in major league informatics in Feburary 2020 and then also taking on the role of coordinator in major league pitching operations in January 2022.

He moved into a new position in December 2023 as the assistant director of pitching in October 2023 and spent 14 months in that role.

Bleich then took on his most recent job with the Pirates in November 2024 as the director of pitching development.

He worked with a number of great pitchers during his time with the Pirates, including Paul Skenes, who won National League Rookie of the Year in 2024 and the NL Cy Young Award in 2025.

Other pitchers Bleich had an impact on include starters in rookies like Braxton Ashcraft, Hunter Barco, Mike Burrows and Bubba Chandler, plus veteran Mitch Keller. It also features relief pitchers like Carmen Mlodzinski, Justin Lawrence, Isaac Mattson, Dennis Santana, David Bednar and others.

Where do the Pirates Go From Here?

The Pirates now need a director of pitching development, which is an incredibly important position for any MLB team to have.

Pittsburgh did hire Bill Murphy from the Houston Astros as their new pitching coach this offseason and will need someone that works with him. They could potentially hire someone that has a relationship with Murphy already, someone in the Astros organization.

The Pirates also have an assistant pitching coach position available, as Brent Strom departed after just one season in the role.

Other Offseason Front Office Changes for the Pirates

Justin Horowitz, who was the Pirates director of amateur scouting the past two years, departed for the Washington Nationals as an assistant general manager.

Pirates assistant general manager Kevan Graves will take over his role, while staying in hsi position, leading the franchise in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Manager Don Kelly also signed a contract extension and made some changes to his staff before 2026.

Kelly let go of pitching coach Oscar Marin on Sept. 30, as they decided they wouldn't renew his contract after the season. Marin is now the bullpen coach of the Cincinnati Reds, with Murphy in his role with the Pirates.

The Pirates also moved on from third base coach Mike Rabelo and hired Tony Beasley, who was previously in the same role with the Texas Rangers and worked as a coach for the Pirates, in that role.

Kelly also has his new bench coach in Kristopher Negrón, who previously served as third base coach for the Seattle Mariners.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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