JR House Goes Home Reds Need New Third Base Coach

 

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

JR House is returning to the dugout but it will be the Arizona Diamondbacks’, not the Reds’.

House managed in the Diamondbacks’ minor leagues system at Double A Jackson before joining the Reds’ staff in 

House, a native of Charleston, West Virginia, spent the last seven years on the Reds’ coaching staff. He was in the Arizona player development system under Mike Bell.

Bell, who passed away from cancer in 2021, was the brother of Reds’ manager David Bell.

House carried on the role with Terry Francona this season and was invited to return. House, who turns 46 on November 11, makes his home in the Phoenix area.

“Being in Cincinnati was awesome,” House said to Arizona Republic beat writer Nick Piecoro. “Just a tremendous experience overall. I learned a lot and made a lot of lifelong friends. But at the same time, we live in Arizona. This is home.”

"It’s awesome to be able to be here with my family and just enjoy those moments and not miss nearly as many things in my kids’ lives.”

House also coached the Reds’ catchers and will continue that role in Arizona.

The Reds have options in house to fill both roles. 

Francona hired Mike Napoli as a coach with special permission from the Reds’ front office. He was a general practitioner on a staff that already had two bench coaches in Brad Mills and Freddie Benevides. Napoli was an extra hand on the staff.

The Reds could decide to move Colllin Cowgill to third base and insert Napoli at first base. Napoli caught 539 big league games in his 12-year career with the Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers. Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. He played for Francona with Cleveland.

Napoli could easily replace House as the catcher’s coach.

Francona could also bring in his former third base coach in Cleveland, Mike Sarbaugh. “Sarby” as Francona calls him was the third base coach for the New York Mets since Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians brought in his own chosen staff. The Mets announced that Sarbaugh would not return for the 2026 season.

Sarbaugh, 58, was a minor league infielder for nine seasons in the Cleveland organization. He never reached the Major Leagues but was a trusted fixture in spring training developing contacts. He was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.