Rick Eckstein leaves Angels to become Kentucky assistant coach
Player information coach Rick Eckstein has left the Angels to become an assistant baseball coach at the University of Kentucky, Tim Mead, the team’s vice president of communications, confirmed on Thursday.
Eckstein, the older brother of former Angels shortstop David Eckstein, served his last game with the Angels on Wednesday night.
His duties will be assumed immediately by Rico Brogna, a special assistant to the general manager who will travel with the team to Texas for this weekend’s series.
Eckstein, 41, joined the Angels last winter after spending 4 1/2 seasons as the Washington Nationals hitting coach.
In his newly created position, he was essentially a liason between the coaching staff and scouting department, spending batting practice in uniform on the field and watching games from the press box, a suite or a seat in the stands.
Eckstein, who will serve as Kentucky’s hitting coach, played for Kentucky Coach Gary Henderson at the University of Florida in the 1990s.
Twitter: @MikeDiGiovanna
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