| Mike Rojas | |
|---|---|
 Rojas pitchingbatting practice, 2012 | |
| Manager | |
| Born: (1963-04-17)April 17, 1963 (age 61) Miami, Florida | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| Teams | |
| As coach |
Miguel Angel Rojas (born April 17, 1963) is anAmerican former professionalbaseball player and current baseballmanager. He played inMinor league baseball as acatcher from 1983 to 1984 for theOakland Athletics andToronto Blue Jays organizations. After his playing career, he continued his involvement in professional baseball as a coach and manager for several organizations. He is the current manager for theNorthwest Arkansas Naturals of theDouble-ATexas League[1] and theLeones del Caracas of theVenezuelan Professional Baseball League.
Rojas is the son of former MLBsecond baseman, coach, manager andscoutOctavio "Cookie" Rojas, still in baseball as a television analyst on theMiami Marlins'Spanish network. His brotherVictor is the TV play-by-play announcer for theLos Angeles Angels.
Rojas was born in Miami, Florida. He is a former catcher who played in theOakland Athletics andToronto Blue Jays farm systems during the 1980s. HisBaseball-Reference page[2] lists him as playing only in 1983–1984, but his mlb.com biography credits him with four years of minor league service, through 1986.[3] He threw and battedright-handed, stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg) as an active player. rom 1987–1991, he coached in thecollege ranks as an assistant withSt. Thomas University.[3]
Aftermanaging in thefarm systems of theCincinnati Reds,Houston Astros andChicago White Sox, Rojas joined theDetroit Tigers' organization in2004. He piloted teams at the Short Season-A, Class A andTriple-A levels. He skippered the Triple-AToledo Mud Hens in2007, the first of his two, one-year stints in that job, and led the club to an 82–61win–loss record and a playoff berth. However, Toledo was eliminated in the first round by theDurham Bulls. Rojas then became field coordinator for the Detroit farm system in 2008 and, later, director of player development.
He was named Detroit's MLB bullpen coach on July 3, 2011,[4] when his predecessor,Jeff Jones, was promoted to Detroit's pitching coach position. Working under managerJim Leyland, he served in that post until the end of the2013 season.
When Leyland retired, Rojas followed coaching colleagueLloyd McClendon to theSeattle Mariners, serving as the Mariners' bullpen coach in2014 and2015.[5]
On November 3, 2016, Rojas was named the manager of the Toledo Mud Hens for the second time.[6] In2017, a decade after his original Toledo assignment, he managed the Hens to a 70–71 record and a third place finish in theInternational League's West Division.
On March 7, 2017, Rojas was named the manager of theLeones del Caracas, for the 2017–2018 season.[7]
In 2018, Rojas will spend his first season as a member of theKansas City Royals' organization as their Double-A manager; his father, Cookie, appeared in 880 games for the Royals between 1970 and 1977, and made fourAmerican LeagueAll-Star teams as a second baseman.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Detroit Tigersbullpen coach 2011–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Seattle Marinersbullpen coach 2014–2015 | Succeeded by |
