The Times Union confirms that Bethlehem grad Matt Quatraro has been named the new manager of the Kansas City Royals.
Forty-eight year old Quatraro grew up in Selkirk and graduated from Bethlehem High School in 1992. He had coaching stints at UAlbany and in the minors with the Hudson Valley Renegades. Most recently, Quatraro was the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Quatraro says he’s excited about his move to Kansas City:
I already knew the talent on the roster and how great the fans in Kansas City are, and the interview process convinced me that the terrific things I’d heard about the organization’s culture are true. I can’t wait to get started, and for my family to get to Kansas City and be part of that community.
Although working in the majors for a number of years, Quatraro never actually played a major league game. He was an 8th round pick for the Rays in 1996 and played in the AAA league. After retiring from playing, he worked as a coach in the minors before returning to the majors as an assistant hitting coach for Cleveland. He became the third base coach for the Rays in 2010 and had been with the franchise ever since.
feature photo: Reuters/Canva