Rudy Jaramillo
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Rudolph Jaramillo [ha-rah-MEE-yoh] (born September 20, 1950 in Beeville, Texas) is currently the hitting coach for the Texas Rangers. Jaramillo has the longest tenure as a hitting coach in Major League Baseball since he was hired in 1994, and also is the first individual in Rangers history to serve more than eight seasons on their major league coaching staff. Before his coaching career, he was a minor league outfielder from 1973 through 1976 who batted left handed and threw right handed.
Jaramillo played four minor league seasons for the Rangers but he never reached major league level. He started his minor league coaching career in 1983, and also managed in the minors from 1984 to 1986. He became a roving instructor through the 1989 season. In 1990 Jaramillo joined the Houston Astros coaching staff after Art Howe was named the team manager. Jaramillo coached in Houston for four seasons. In 1994, he managed Bend Rockies, and was named the Rangers hitting coach before the 1995 season.
Jaramillo, who is bilingual, has been credited for the development of players as Jeff Bagwell, Juan González, Iván Rodríguez, Mark Teixeira and Michael Young, between others. In 2003, he was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame.
In October 2006, the Texas Rangers signed Ron Washington as their new manager for the 2007 season. Washington will keep Jaramillo as the hitting coach, as well pitching coach Mark Connor and bullpen coach Dom Chiti. Former Oakland and Houston manager Art Howe is expected to join the staff as the bench coach.
