The Cincinnati Reds are trying to take a major step forward with their organization and have done so with a big hire.
The Reds have hired Kyle Boddy as their Director of Pitching Initiatives/Pitching Coordinator. Boddy is the founder of Driveline Baseball, an advanced data and technologically-driven facility that specializes in developing baseball players.
Boddy announced the news via Twitter on Tuesday. He outlined some of the terms of his new role.
Oh. I guess there are a few more things.
4) This is an exclusive deal. I am on a multi-year contract. I can no longer work w/ other teams.
4a) Driveline Baseball can and will work with other MLB teams + players.— Kyle Boddy (@drivelinebases) October 1, 2019
Boddy says his deal is an exclusive, multi-year agreement with the Reds, meaning he can no longer consult for competing MLB teams. Most of his work will be done with developing minor leaguers. Boddy also will be able to keep his job as the leader of Driveline Baseball, which will still be allowed to work with players from other teams.
The reality was that I barely coached players anyway at @DrivelineBB outside of @BauerOutage and maybe a handful of others. We have an amazing team I trust to coach our pitchers here, and I was/am focused on software development and technical operations at Driveline.
— Kyle Boddy (@drivelinebases) October 1, 2019
The client who truly put Driveline Baseball on the map was Trevor Bauer, an advanced, outside-the-box thinker who looked to Boddy to try taking a step forward in his pitching. Working with Boddy and Driveline helped Bauer improve as a pitcher to the point he put together the best seasons of his career recently.
The Reds acquired Bauer in a trade with the Indians during the season, which may have been a precursor to this hire.
