| Matt Quatraro | |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Royals – No. 33 | |
| Coach /Manager | |
| Born: (1973-11-14)November 14, 1973 (age 51) Selkirk, New York, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| Career statistics (through 2024) | |
| Managerial record | 142–182 |
| Winning % | .438 |
| Teams | |
| |
Matthew John Quatraro (/kwɑːˈtrɛəroʊ/kwah-TRAIR-oh;[1] born November 14, 1973) is an American professionalbaseball formerminor league player, minor leaguemanager, and major leaguecoach, and the current manager of theKansas City Royals ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He was previously thebench coach for theTampa Bay Rays from2019 to2022.
Quatraro playedcollege baseball for theOld DominionMonarchsbaseball team from 1993 through 1996, where he was named anAll-American. Quatraro played in the minors from 1996 through 2003, without reaching the majors. While primarily acatcher, he also spent significant time atfirst base andleft field, and occasionally playedright field andthird base.[2]
He began coaching in 2004, and was enshrined in the Old Dominion University Sports Hall of Fame that year. He was the assistanthitting coach for MLB'sCleveland Indians from2014 through2017, and served as the Rays'third base coach in2018.
Quatraro attendedBethlehem Central High School inDelmar, New York, graduating in 1992.[3] He then enrolled atOld Dominion University. He playedcollege baseball for theOld Dominion Monarchs baseball team in theColonial Athletic Association (CAA). As a sophomore in 1994, Quatraro won theCAA TournamentMost Valuable Player Award and was named to the CAA's second-team as afirst baseman.[4] In 1994 and 1995, Quatraro playedcollegiate summer baseball with theHarwich Mariners of theCape Cod Baseball League.[5][6] He was named to the CAA's first-team as acatcher in 1995 and 1996, his junior and senior seasons. Quatraro, who hit .400 for his entire career at ODU was also named first teamCoSIDA Academic All-American in 1996[7] As a senior, he was named a second teamAll-American by theAmerican Baseball Coaches Association and a third team All-American byCollegiate Baseball.[8]
TheTampa Bay Devil Rays selected Quatraro in the eighth round of the1996 Major League Baseball draft.[9] Though he reachedClass AAA, the highest level inMinor League Baseball, Quatraro did not play in the major leagues. The Devil Rays released Quatraro after the 2002 season. He signed with theNew York Yankees organization for the 2003 season, but the Yankees released him duringspring training.[3] As a player, Quatraro had a career .286batting average, 23home runs, and 202runs batted in in 415games played inMinor League Baseball, without reaching the majors.[9]
After retiring as a player, Quatraro worked as amanager and catching instructor in the Devil Rays' minor league system. He served as thehitting coach of theHudson Valley Renegades of theClass A-Short SeasonNew York–Penn League in the 2004 and 2005 seasons, and managed the Renegades in 2006 and 2007.[10][11] He managed theColumbus Catfish of theClass ASouth Atlantic League (SAL) in 2008,[12] and theBowling Green Hot Rods, also in the SAL, in 2009.[13]
Quatraro also served as an assistant coach for theUniversity at AlbanyGreat Danes baseball team from 2004 through 2008.[14]
From 2010 through 2013, Quatraro was the minor league hitting coordinator for theTampa Bay Rays.[9][15] TheCleveland Indians hired Quatraro to their major league staff as their assistant hitting coach for the 2014 season.[9] The Rays hired him as their third base coach after the 2017 season.[16] WhenCharlie Montoyo was hired as manager of theToronto Blue Jays after the 2018 season, the Rays promoted Quatraro to bench coach.[17] After the 2021 season, he interviewed with theOakland Athletics andNew York Mets for their open managerial positions.[18]
On October 30, 2022, theKansas City Royals hired Quatraro as their manager. In his first season with the team, the Royals went 56–106 (.346), second worst in the MLB only to the Oakland Athletics, whose record in the 2023 season was 50–112 (.309). The 2023 Royals tied the 2005 Royals squad for the lowest winning percentage in a season in franchise history (.346).[19][20]
Quatraro'ssecond season started much better than his first. He led the Royals to a 31-19 (.620) record through the first 50 games of the season, tying the1976 Royals for the best start of a season through 50 games in franchise history.[21]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| KC | 2023 | 162 | 56 | 106 | .346 | 5th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
| KC | 2024 | 162 | 86 | 76 | .531 | 2nd in AL Central | 3 | 3 | .500 | LostALDS (NYY) |
| KC | 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | TBD in AL Central | – | – | – | |
| Total | 324 | 142 | 182 | .438 | 3 | 3 | .500 | |||
Quatraro is of Italian descent.[22] In 2004, he was inducted into the Old Dominion University Sports Hall of Fame.[23] Quatraro graduated from Old Dominion with a History degree.[24]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Position Created | Cleveland Indiansassistant hitting coach 2014–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Tampa Bay Raysthird base coach 2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Tampa Bay Raysbench coach 2019–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Kansas City Royalsmanager 2023–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |