Ex-Marlin Juan Alvarez Joins FIU Baseball Staff as Pitching Coach

New FIU Baseball head coach, Pedro Grifol, announced on Tuesday that former MLB left-hander, Juan Alvarez, would join his staff as the pitching coach.

Pedro Grifol announces that Juan Alvarez, former Major League pitcher, will be on his staff.

Pitched for the Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers and Florida Marlins.

He will be the pitching coach#FIU #PawsUp

— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) June 2, 2026

“[You] want to talk about an overachiever, said Grifol. “This guy played in the big leagues, one of the toughest things to do in the world, just one and a half percent, and he’s been scouting, doing all that stuff. He knows the players, he knows the scouts, he knows the agents. Relentless worker, and I was so happy to welcome him to our staff.”

MLB Career

With previous professional and scouting experience, Alvarez returns to the 305 after spending the past nine seasons with the Chicago White Sox, recently as a National Crosschecker and Scout.

Hailing from Coral Gables, he had a 10-year professional career that lasted from 1995 to 2004. Alvarez signed with the California Angels as an undrafted free agent on July 25, 1995.

After four years in their farm system, he made his major league debut on September 1, 1999. The Anaheim Angels would release him on October 15, 2001, after he spent three seasons on their roster.

On November 30 of that year, he signed with the Texas Rangers. 2002 was his longest-tenured season, when he posted a 0-4 record in 52 games. Alvarez would go on to get released by the Rangers on November 18.

The Florida Marlins signed him to a contract on February 5, 2003. After spending most of the season in the minors, the Marlins called him up, and he made nine bullpen appearances. He eventually won a World Series title with the club before being released on October 15.

The New York Yankees signed Alvarez as a free agent on February 10, 2004, but got released less than two months later. Florida signed him in April, but they let him go after the conclusion of the season.

Unfortunately, Juan Alvarez shares a major league record with Ed Olwine for most games pitched without a win, at 80.

Post-Playing Career

Following retirement, he became the pitching coach for the Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League in the Seattle Mariners’ organization.

Then in 2012, he joined the Cleveland Indians as an International Crosschecker and South Florida scout. Alvarez assessed amateur and international prospects in Latin America, evaluating mechanical development, velocity, projection, and upside. He was able to pinpoint Triston McKenzie in his final season at Royal Palm Beach High School.

Juan Alvarez joined the White Sox in 2017 as a Southeast Crosschecker before getting promoted to East Coast Crosschecker and then National Crosschecker in 2020. He evaluated top amateur prospects in his national role across the United States for MLB Draft consideration.

In this role, he worked with the scouting director and analytics department to arrange regional evaluations and draft strategy. Alvarez supervised and mentored area scouts through different regions, guaranteeing consistency in player evaluations and franchise communication.

Bio

Alvarez played at Coral Gables High School, where he was teammates with FIU Athletics Hall of Famer and two-time World Series champion, Mike Lowell. He continued his playing career at St. Thomas University before joining the Angels in 1995.

Currently, Juan Alvarez lives in Miami with his wife and two children. His wife, Ileana, and his son, Andy, are FIU alumni, while his daughter, Annelise, is on the FIU Beach Volleyball program.

About Post Author

Ricardo Urrusuno

He’s a diehard 305 native who roots for his hometown teams in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recently, he graduated from FIU with an MBA, but now he’s a Lemonhead covering UM basketball. Known to be anywhere and everywhere, you may catch him at a Miami sporting event.

See author's posts