The Seattle Mariners have named Scott Servais as their new manager. Servais played 11 seasons in the majors as a catcher with four different teams.
After retiring in 2002, the 48-year old native of La Crosse, Wisconsin served in the Texas Rangers front office before being hired as assistant GM of the Los Angels Angels in 2011. He served in that role until he was hired by the Mariners, reuniting with former Angels GM Jerry DiPoto, who hired him in Anaheim.
Servais succeeds Lloyd McClendon, who was manager for the last two years, compiling a 163-161 record, but failing to meet expectations after high-profile free agent signings of Robinson Cano in 2014 and Nelson Cruz in 2015.
This is Servais’ first managerial position at any level.
Below is the team’s official press release.
Seattle Mariners name Scott Servais Manager
Former Major League Player and Front Office Executive Named 17th Full-Time Manager in Club History.
SEATTLE, Wash. – Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that Scott Servais (pronounced ‘service’) has been named as the Seattle Mariners new manager.
“Through the course of the 20-plus years I’ve known Scott, I’ve come to see him as one of the most complete, well balanced and inclusive baseball people in the industry,” Dipoto said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to call him a teammate as a player, while also having worked closely with him as an organizational leader in both Colorado and Los Angeles. He is a communicator with strong baseball acumen and leadership skills. I truly believe his strong character and career experiences as a player, coach and executive have prepared him for this opportunity.”
Servais, 48, spent the past four seasons as the Los Angeles Angels Assistant General Manager, Scouting and Player Development. In that role, he worked closely with Dipoto on all aspects of baseball operations, with a focus on player development.
“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to manage the Seattle Mariners,” Servais said. “It has long been my goal to manage a big league team and while I took a slightly different path than many, I am confident in my ability to lead. We have a terrific core of players and I’m looking forward to bringing in a coaching staff that will help me establish a winning culture here as we work toward putting a championship-caliber team on the field for the fans of the Northwest.”
Servais is the 17th full-time skipper in Mariners history.
Prior to joining the Angels, Scott spent the previous six seasons (2006-2011) as the Texas Rangers Senior Director of Player Development. With the Rangers he was responsible for the on-field development of all players in the Rangers minor league system. He was also responsible for instructing Texas’ Major League catchers.
Scott spent one season (2005) as a professional scout for the Rockies, after spending the prior two years as a roving catching instructor for the Chicago Cubs (2003-04).
Scott had an 11-year Major League playing career (1991-2001) with the Houston Astros (1991-95, 2001), Chicago Cubs (1995-98), San Francisco Giants (1999-2000) and Colorado Rockies (2000). He batted .245 with 30 doubles, 63 home runs and 319 RBI in 820 career MLB games. He ranked among the top-three NL catchers in fielding percentage in three separate seasons.
Servais played college baseball at Creighton University (his head coach was former Cubs GM Jim Hendry) and was inducted into the Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. He was a member of Team USA, winning a Silver Medal in the Pan Am Games in 1987 and a Gold Medal in the 1988 Olympics (Seoul, South Korea). He earned USA Baseball’s Alumni Award in 1994.
Servais was drafted by the New York Mets in the second round (scout: Terry Ryan) out of high school but did not sign. He was selected in the third round of the 1988 June Draft following his junior year of college. Scott is a native of Coon Valley, WI and graduated from Westby High School (WI) in 1985.
Scott and his wife Jill have three children: Tyler (11/18/92) recently graduated from Princeton University and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers; Jacqueline (9/12/94) who is enrolled at UNC Charlotte where she played volleyball and is currently interning with the Carolina Panthers; and Victoria (9/2/97) who attends Ole Miss University.
