Rick Sofield

Rick Sofield
Sofield with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Outfielder
Born: December 16, 1956 Cheyenne, Wyoming
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 6, 1979, for the Minnesota Twins
Last MLB appearance
October 4, 1981, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
Batting average	.243
Hits	149
Home runs	9
Teams
As player Minnesota Twins (1979–1981) As coach Pittsburgh Pirates (2013–2016)

Richard Michael Sofield (born December 16, 1956) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was the Pittsburgh Pirates third base coach from 2013 to 2016^[1] and was the manager of their Class-A South Atlantic League team the West Virginia Power during the 2012 season.

A first round draft pick (13th overall)^[2] of the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft, Sofield played for the Minnesota Twins from 1979 to 1981, appearing in 207 games and recording 612 at bats for a career average of .243.

After his playing career ended, he became the assistant baseball coach at the University of South Carolina and later the head coach at the University of Utah (1988 to 1994). After leaving Utah, he was a minor league manager for the Harrisburg Senators, Las Vegas 51s, and Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

He has been the head baseball coach at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and worked extensively with Baseball Factory, a player development and scouting service. His final day with USCB was Monday, November 14, 2011. Sofield's record with the NAIA Sand Sharks over three seasons is 101–56. In 2011, USCB was ranked No. 18 in the NAIA Top 25, the highest spot in program history.^[3]

Sofield and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle first met in 1975 in the minor leagues and have stayed friends ever since. Sofield also previously worked with Pirates general manager Neal Huntington, assistant general manager Kyle Stark, Triple-A Indianapolis manager Dean Treanor, and pitching coordinator Jim Benedict.^[4] He served as a coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates under Hurdle from 2013 to 2016^[4][5]

References

1. "Pirates hire Jay Bell as hitting coach". TribLIVE. October 31, 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
2. "Rick Sofield Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
3. USCB Press Release
4. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
5. "Pirates hire Jay Bell as hitting coach". TribLIVE. October 31, 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2013.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Pura Pelota