By Matt Hicks, Mobile (Ala.) Sports Information Director
Photo by Denis Bancroft

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The New York Yankees have hired former University of Mobile (Ala.) baseball player Joe Espada as their new infield and third base coach for the 2015 season.

Espada served as a special assistant to general manager Brian Cashman last season in the Yankees' organization.

A two-time NAIA All-American and second round pick in the 1996 MLB Amateur Draft, Espada previously worked in the Miami Marlins' organization, serving as third base coach from 2010-13 after several years in their minor league system as a hitting coach and infield coordinator.

"His knowledge of the game is incredible in all aspects," UMobile Head Coach Mike Jacobs said. "Even as a player here, he knew where to be and where everyone else should be, and he knew how to play the game, and always played the right way. He was an ideal coach's player"

His UMobile playing career spanned 1994-96 and he left his mark on the program. He posted the two highest single-season batting averages at the school, hitting .468 in 1995 and .446 in 1996, and his .442 career average still stands as the best in school history. He is third all-time in hits with 212 and third all-time with runs scored with 159.

He was first-team All-Conference each season, second-team NAIA All-American in 1995 and 1996 and two-time Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

Espada also continues to make his mark on the program, long after his playing days are done.

"He continues to give back to the program every year, donating money and equipment, and helping us recruit in Puerto Rico," Jacobs said. "He is very interested in this program being successful and still tries to find ways to help us. This school is important to him and it did a lot for him."

His minor league/independent league career spanned 10 seasons where he reached the Triple-A level on several occasions. In 1999 he was a Texas League All-Star. He compiled 811 hits, 108 doubles and 172 stolen bases for the Oakland Athletics, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals' organizations.