Lopez Finding Coaching Groove With Pirates

Mendy Lopez is a very special member of the Pittsburgh Pirates coaching staff. The Dominican native, now in his second year as a member of manager Derek Shelton’s MLB staff, is someone to keep an eye on. With more experience gained, watch for Lopez to be considered for more responsibilities within the organization.

Anyone who spends parts of 19 seasons playing on the minor league level knows they are baseball lifers. One conversation early on in spring training sealed the deal with this reporter; nobody loves the game of baseball as much as Lopez, and nobody absolutely loves to coach the next generation of Pirates more than Lopez.

He is the real deal. From general manager Ben Cherington to Shelton and everyone in between, the Pirates must know what a valuable mentoring asset they have with Lopez.

The look in his eyes and the passion in his voice as Lopez rattles off names of people who made a difference in his career clearly define him as someone who will give his all for the benefit of others.

Lopez has transformed from the players’ clubhouse to the coaching room, but he tells a tale of experiencing great difficulty in accepting his fate as someone who wasn’t long to be in the lineup.

Lopez, who, among his many responsibilities, works with Pirates infielders sharpening their work with the glove, played an amazing 21 seasons in organized ball. The 2022 Bradenton Marauders’ hitting coach wore 15 different team uniforms in the last eight seasons in the Mexican League (equivalent to MiLB’s Double-A level).

There were tours in Korea’s KBO, Mexico, 191 MLB games for the Royals, Astros, Pirates, and Marlins, also working on his game in the Dominican Winter League, getting to play in the Caribbean Series, wherever Lopez could use his bat and glove, he didn’t have to be asked twice of his availability.

Prior to a Pirates’ home game last month at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Lopez was spotted working one-on-one with Pittsburgh’s starting shortstop Oneil Cruz. From a distance, Lopez could be observed explaining the proper positioning on the infield dirt and dropping down, demonstrating where his glove should be placed to best capture the grounder coming at him.

It was the right time and place for Cruz, on the backfield at LECOM Park, to accept advice from a coach with a resume that should help him take his overall game to the next level.

Lopez is passing along the baseball wisdom bestowed on him by those who were impactful on the MLB level. One name that ignites a smile and a continuous flow of baseball stories from Lopez is his former Kansas City Royals teammate Carlos Beltran.

Beltran, often regarded as a future MLB skipper and possible legend with Cooperstown credentials, played a major role in Lopez's conduct both on and off the field.

“We got along real good. I was a quiet kid, and little by little, we formed a close relationship,” Lopez said at the Pirate City training complex. “He (Beltran) is from Puerto Rico, which is close to the Dominican Republic, so we just enjoyed being around each other.”

Learning how to run the bases better, play an outfield position, when to be serious, and when to joke, Beltran was the walking example of how an MLB player should carry themselves at all times.

Beltran’s success on the field was the proof Lopez was looking for, to remind him how success can be found as a major leaguer.

As Lopez remembers, his way back to the MLB level and onto Shelton’s coaching staff came swiftly and without warning.

“Me coming to the Pirates came pretty fast. I was comfortable with my work with the Marauders. Then, (Shelton), he tells me that I’m coming with him to Pittsburgh,” Lopez, who played the 2004 season for the Samsung Lions in the KBO League, said.

In most instances, coaches, particularly in the minor leagues, don’t control the levels at which they move up. As coaches learn to connect with players on the playing fields and after workouts at the ballparks, they should begin earning their students’ trust.

This is when a bond is formed, and listening and learning go a long way toward professional growth. Lopez's knowledge comes from his personal experiences while in uniform.

He went to the KBO when there weren’t any opportunities on the MLB level. Now, when he played in Mexico from 2006 through 2013, Lopez was there because he wanted to be.

“It (Mexican League) was the best thing to happen to me at that point of my career. It wasn’t about money. Playing in Mexico brought back the passion for me as a player.”

Lopez sensed that his days playing the game were coming to an end. He began thinking of turning to coaching. Taking much pride in all that he learned in the game, Lopez wanted to share his passion for playing defense, particularly since he was an infielder throughout his career.

Along with his friendship with Beltran, former American League MVP Miguel Tejada played a huge part in influencing Lopez so that he could transition into coaching. While teammates playing in the Dominican Winter League, Lopez doesn’t hesitate when declaring Tejada the best baseball player he ever played with.
“The way (Tejada) played, how he went about his work, this had a big impact on me. Miguel was my hero then, and he is today.”

Graduating within the Pirates’ organization, from being assigned the Latin American Field Coordinator role for four seasons to teaching hitting to Marauders and ultimately getting the promotion by Shelton to his staff, Lopez remains hungry to get the best out of the players in Pittsburgh. His contagious excitement for his work can only bring the club closer to playoff challengers once again.