The White Sox announced the addition of former manager and catcher Jerry Narron as a major league instructor on Wednesday and promoted James Kruk to head athletic trainer.
Narron, the Red Sox’ bench coach in 2020, was the Texas Rangers manager from 2001-02 and Reds manager from 2005-07.
A major league catcher for six seasons, Narron was a Brewers coach from 2011-15, overlapping some of All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s best seasons. Lucroy, 34, is looking to resurrect his career following neck surgery and a minor league deal agreed to with the Sox last week and will compete to win the No. 2 catcher’s job in spring training, which opens next week.
Narron helped former Sox catcher James McCann improve his framing last offseason, a weak spot turned into a much improved skill over McCann’s two seasons with the Sox.
Before his stint with the Red Sox, Narron, 65, was the Diamondbacks bench coach from 2017-19, and he served as Reds bench coach becoming their manager.
Kruk, 37, served as assistant trainer the last two seasons but held a higher profile in the absence of head trainer Brian Ball, who was away for personal reasons. Brett Walker was promoted to director of rehabilitation. Walker spent the last two seasons as major league physical therapist/assistant athletic trainer for the Sox.
Pitchers and catchers report to White Sox spring training in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 17.
