Pedro Grifol expected to be hired as new White Sox manager, according to reports

CHICAGO – The White Sox will indeed go with someone that doesn’t have previous connections to the organization to be their next leader in the dugout starting in 2023.

Per numbers reports, the first from Buster Olney of ESPN, the White Sox are expected to name Pedro Grifol as their next manager, with the announcement coming later this week. He was the bench coach for the Kansas City Royals for the last three seasons.

The White Sox have not confirmed the hire.

Grifol began his coaching and scouting career with the Seattle Mariners in 2000, serving in a number of different roles. He was an area scout from 2000 through 2005, was the coordinator of instruction from 2006 through 2008, and was director of minor league operations from 2008-2011.

During his time with the Mariners, Grifol also was a manager for Class A Everett from 2003-2005, a major league coach for Seattle in 2010, then served as manager for Class A High Desert in 2012.

He joined the Royals in 2013 as a hitting coach for the Surprise, Arizona rookie ball club before joining the big league team as a special assignment coach. Later in 2013, Grifol was named the team’s hitting coach and served in that role through the 2014 season.

During that season, he also took on the Royals’ catching coach duties and held that role through the 2019 season. He also added on the quality control coach duties in 2018 and 2019.

In 2020, Grifol was named the Royals’ bench coach and served in that role ever since.

A native of Miami, Florida, the 52-year old Grifol played baseball at Florida State University before being drafted by the Twins in the sixth round of the 1991 MLB Draft. He would play nine seasons in the minors from that year through 1999 with Minnesota and then New York Mets organizations.