Milwaukee Brewers Hire Derek Johnson as Pitching Coach

After the end of season firings, Craig Counsell has taken the first step towards making the staff his own as it is being reported that the Brewers have hired former Chicago Cubs minor league pitching coordinator and Vanderbilt pitching coach Derek Johnson. By bringing in Johnson in, Counsell moves closer to building his dream staff.

Johnson comes to Milwaukee with the highest of accolades. Everyone who has been around Johnson raves about his spectacular teaching skills. Before he came to Chicago, Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio spoke of his “Great instincts…and baseball mind,” that is focused on the physiological part of the game, and his background speaks for itself.

Spending 11-years at one of the best colleges in the country, Johnson was able to be help mentor pitchers like David Price and Sonny Gray into first round picks and MLB stars. He also was a member of the coaching staff at Vanderbilt when they won the 2011 College World Series.

Counsell previously stated that he wanted a dream coaching staff of “teachers, people who will challenge his ideas,” and this is a great step in the right direction for the Brewers. With the team in the middle of the rebuild, Johnson is a great choice to help lead the team’s young staff. With several other coaching moves still ahead, expect Counsell to continue to bring great leaders into the organization.

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