| Jerry Narron | |
|---|---|
 Narron in 1981 | |
| Los Angeles Angels – No. 87 | |
| Catcher /Manager /Coach | |
| Born: (1956-01-15)January 15, 1956 (age 69) Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 13, 1979, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 1987, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .211 |
| Home runs | 21 |
| Runs batted in | 96 |
| Managerial record | 291–341 |
| Winning % | .460 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager As coach | |
Jerry Austin Narron (born January 15, 1956) is an American professionalbaseballmanager,coach, and former player. He is the current catching coach for theLos Angeles Angels ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He recently served as a major league instructor for theChicago White Sox. Narron played in MLB, primarily as acatcher, for three teams during 1979–87. He has served as manager for theTexas Rangers (2001–02) and theCincinnati Reds (2005–07).
He was the third base coach forIsrael at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Narron was also a coach for Team Israel, under managerIan Kinsler, when it competed in the2023 World Baseball Classic.
Narron was born inGoldsboro, North Carolina. He is aChristian Zionist.[1] His father John was employed as a salesman and floor layer for the Isaacs-Kahn Furniture Company in Goldsboro.[2] He is a nephew of former major league catcher and longtime coachSam Narron.[3]
Through his childhood he played baseball at the Wayne County Boys Club. He attendedGoldsboro High School, where he played baseball, basketball, and football, and graduated in 1974. He went to college atEast Carolina University.[4][5]
He was drafted out of high school when he was 18 years old by theNew York Yankees in the sixth round of the1974 Major League Baseball Draft.[6][7] He played alongside brotherJohnny for theJohnson City Cardinals in the RookieAppalachian League during his first professional season in 1974, batting .301/.415/.487 with 15 doubles (3rd in the league), 7 home runs (10th), and 49 RBIs (6th).[3] In 1977, playing for theWest Haven Yankees of the AAEastern League, he batted .299 (eighth in the league)/.376/.527(third) with 80 runs (sixth), 28 home runs (second) and 93 RBIs (third) in 438 at bats.[3][8]
He made his major league debut on April 13, 1979.[6] Narron played for the Yankees as the backup catcher toThurman Munson. He was the Yankees' starting catcher the day after Munson's death in a plane crash in August 1979,[9][10] and remained in the dugout during the pregame ceremonies, leaving the catcher's position empty, out of respect for Munson.[9]
In November 1979 Narron was traded by the Yankees to theSeattle Mariners withJuan Beniquez,Rick Anderson, andJim Beattie forJim Lewis andRuppert Jones.[3]
He was released by the Mariners in March 1982, and signed two days later as afree agent by theCalifornia Angels.[3] Playing for theSpokane Indians in the AAAPacific Coast League (PCL) in 1982, he batted .311/.381/.468 in 408 at bats.[3] In 1983, playing for theEdmonton Trappers of the PCL, he batted .301/.377/.528 with 30 doubles (eighth in the league), 27 home runs (fourth) and 102 RBIs (fifth) in 539 at bats, while leading the league with 15intentional walks.[3][11] He was released by the Angels in April 1987, and signed later that month by the Seattle Mariners, who in turn released him the following November.[12] He retired as a player in 1989.
Narron was a manager in theBaltimore Oriolesfarm system from 1989 through 1992; of the Single–AFrederick Keys (1989), Double–AHagerstown Suns (1990-91), and Triple–ARochester Red Wings (1992), with a record of 291-269 (.520).[5] He was then hired as a coach for the Orioles by skipperJohnny Oates.
After two seasons in Baltimore, he moved with Oates to theTexas Rangers. Narron was third-base coach for the Rangers from 1995 until he was named interim manager on May 4, 2001, after the firing of manager Johnny Oates. He had the interim tag removed and managed the team during the 2002 season. He was replaced in Texas byBuck Showalter in December 2002.
Narron then served as bench coach for theBoston Red Sox during their 2003 run to theAmerican League Championship Series. He performed the same role for Cincinnati in 2004–05.[5]
Narron was named the Reds' interim manager on June 20, 2005. On September 29 of that year, his contract was extended to cover the 2006 season with a mutual option for 2007. Narron was fired as manager of the Reds on July 1, 2007. The Reds named advance scoutPete Mackanin as the interim manager. Narron's record with the Reds was 157–179.
On February 25, 2008, Narron was named aspecial assignments scout and front-office consultant with the Rangers.
Narron served as bench coach for theMilwaukee Brewers from 2011 to 2015.[13]
Narron was hired to be the 2017 manager of theReno Aces on December 30, 2016.[14]
After the first seven games of the 2017 season, Narron took over as interim bench coach of the major leagueArizona Diamondbacks, when bench coachRon Gardenhire left the team on a leave of absence to have and recover fromprostate cancer surgery.[15] Narron got the job permanently after Gardenhire was hired to be theDetroit Tigers' manager. Narron stepped down from his position as bench coach of the Diamondbacks following the 2019 season.[16]
Narron was hired as bench coach for the Boston Red Sox on February 22, 2020.[17] In October 2020, the team declined to renew his contract.[18]
On February 10, 2021, Narron was hired as a major league instructor for theChicago White Sox.[19] On November 2, 2022, Narron and the White Sox parted ways.[20]
In November 2023, Narron was hired as the catching coach for theLos Angeles Angels.[21]
Narron was the third base coach forIsrael at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier.[22][23][24] Narron, whose daughter Callie lives in theArnona neighborhood of Jerusalem, Israel, with her husband and two children, said: "I love the game, I love the Jewish people and I love Israel".[23][2][25][26]
Narron was again a coach for Team Israel, under managerIan Kinsler, when it competed in the2023 World Baseball Classic.[27]
| Team | From | To | Regular season record | Post–season record | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | Win % | G | W | L | Win % | |||
| Texas Rangers | 2001 | 2002 | 296 | 134 | 162 | .453 | — | |||
| Cincinnati Reds | 2005 | 2007 | 337 | 157 | 179 | .467 | — | |||
| Total | 632 | 291 | 341 | .460 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | ||
| Reference:[28] | ||||||||||
Narron is married to Donna Narron.[5] He has five children and two stepchildren: Connor, Cara, Clare, Caitlyn, Callie, Chelsy, Coco and Hunter. His son Connor was the fourth-ranked prospect for the high school class of 2010 by ESPN's Perfect Game. The Orioles selected Connor in the fifth round of the2010 MLB draft; he played inMinor League Baseball during the 2010 to 2014 seasons.[29] Narron's brotherJohnny was the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2012 to 2014.[5] Narron is the nephew of former major league catcher and coachSam W. Narron and cousin of pitcherSam F. Narron.[30]
Narron is known for writing out lineup cards using a distinct form ofcalligraphy, and for rendering the names of players from Japan, Korea and Taiwan in their native scripts on the lineup cards.[31][32][33]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by franchise created | Frederick Keys manager 1989 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Baltimore Orioles Bench Coach 1993 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Baltimore Orioles Third Base Coach 1994 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Boston Red SoxBench Coach 2003 2020 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Arizona DiamondbacksBench Coach 2017 (interim) | Succeeded by |
