Following the departure of Justin Willard to the New York Mets, the Boston Red Sox have moved quickly to restructure and strengthen their pitching operations by filling the vacant director of pitching position. This transition comes after Willard, who had served as Boston’s director of pitching for the past two seasons, accepted a role with the Mets as their pitching coach, leaving a significant gap in the Red Sox’s front office infrastructure. The promotion and accompanying hires represent a broader strategy by the Red Sox to ensure stability and continuity in their pitching development pipeline, an area of increasing focus for the organization in recent years.
On Tuesday, sources confirmed that the Red Sox have promoted Ben Buck to the position of director of pitching. Buck, who previously served as the team’s pitching coordinator, has been elevated into the top pitching role within the organization, reflecting both his internal experience and the confidence that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has in his abilities. The initial report of Buck’s promotion was first shared by Robert Murray of FanSided, generating interest across baseball circles given the importance of pitching development in the Red Sox’s long-term competitive strategy.
Justin Willard, who previously held the director of pitching role, was brought on by the Red Sox in December 2023 and worked closely under Breslow’s direction. In his two seasons with Boston, Willard played an instrumental role in managing and developing the team’s pitching prospects, overseeing the coordination between minor league affiliates and the major league roster, and implementing organizational philosophies for pitching strategy. Despite his contributions, Willard elected to leave the Red Sox following the 2025 season in order to join the New York Mets as their pitching coach, a move that represents a significant career step for him but also left the Red Sox with a notable vacancy in a key developmental area.
In response to Willard’s departure, Craig Breslow has executed a series of structural adjustments to the organization’s pitching operations, emphasizing both internal promotion and strategic external hires. Beyond Buck’s promotion, Breslow has brought in Ryan Otero, his former colleague from their time with the Chicago Cubs, as a special assistant to the chief baseball officer. Otero previously served as Chicago’s director of pitching, bringing a wealth of experience in building pitching programs at the major league level. Additionally, the Red Sox recruited Quinn Cleary from the Seattle Mariners, where he held a position within the organization’s pitching development staff. Cleary has been appointed as an assistant director of pitching and head pitching strategist, a role designed to integrate data-driven approaches with hands-on coaching across the system. These moves collectively signal the Red Sox’s commitment to not only maintaining continuity in pitching development but also enhancing it by blending experience from multiple organizational backgrounds.
Ben Buck, the newly promoted director of pitching, brings a unique blend of playing and coaching experience to his role. A native of Colorado, Buck played collegiate baseball at the University of Utah, where he developed the foundational skills and insights that would later inform his coaching philosophy. After graduating in 2004, he transitioned into collegiate coaching, refining his expertise in developing pitchers at multiple levels of the game. Buck entered the professional ranks by joining the New York Yankees’ system in 2020, where he worked closely with minor league pitchers and contributed to the organization’s pitching development initiatives. His tenure with the Red Sox began in January of the current year when Boston hired him away from the Yankees, signaling an early commitment to integrating his knowledge and leadership into their system. Buck’s promotion to director of pitching represents the culmination of years of progressive coaching experience, and he now faces the task of overseeing the entire pitching infrastructure for one of Major League Baseball’s most storied franchises.
In addition to changes within the pitching staff, the Red Sox have implemented broader front office adjustments this offseason. Notably, Mark Heil has been appointed as the club’s director of international scouting, a role crucial to the organization’s efforts in acquiring and developing talent outside of the United States. Heil’s addition is part of a continued trend by Boston to strengthen scouting and player development pipelines at multiple levels, ensuring that the team remains competitive in both the short and long term. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have not yet filled the vacancy left by Paul Toboni, who departed in October to become the Washington Nationals’ president of baseball operations. Toboni’s exit leaves a gap in Breslow’s inner circle, though it remains unclear whether Boston intends to recruit a direct replacement or reorganize responsibilities among existing staff.
The Red Sox’s strategic focus on pitching development has been an ongoing priority under Breslow’s leadership. In recent seasons, the team has sought to blend traditional coaching methodologies with advanced analytics, emphasizing individualized development plans, biomechanical analysis, and a focus on mental preparation for pitchers. The addition of Cleary as head pitching strategist underscores the organization’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge strategies and analytics into their developmental framework, ensuring that pitchers at all levels are equipped with the tools necessary to succeed in today’s game. Similarly, the promotion of Buck highlights the organization’s confidence in homegrown leadership and institutional knowledge, reinforcing a philosophy of continuity and long-term vision within the front office.
Ryan Otero’s appointment as a special assistant adds another layer of expertise to the organization. Otero’s experience as the Cubs’ director of pitching included not only overseeing player development but also coordinating with major league coaches on in-game strategy, pitch design, and pitcher usage. His collaboration with Buck and Cleary is likely to facilitate a holistic approach to pitching operations, one that combines practical coaching experience with analytics-driven decision-making. The interplay between these three key figures – Buck, Otero, and Cleary – is poised to shape the Red Sox’s pitching strategies for years to come, influencing both minor league development and major league performance.
Buck’s personal journey from a collegiate pitcher in Utah to a professional coach in Major League Baseball reflects a trajectory that blends on-field experience with analytical understanding. His background in coaching at the collegiate level allowed him to develop expertise in teaching mechanics, pitch sequencing, and mental preparation. When he transitioned to the Yankees system in 2020, he gained exposure to professional-level scouting, development protocols, and analytics integration. This combination of experiences has prepared him to take on a leadership role in one of baseball’s most prominent organizations, where the demands on a director of pitching extend beyond mere coaching to encompass organizational strategy, cross-departmental coordination, and long-term planning.
The Red Sox’s decision to simultaneously promote from within and bring in external talent demonstrates a dual-pronged approach to organizational development. By promoting Buck, they retain institutional knowledge and ensure continuity, while the addition of Otero and Cleary introduces fresh perspectives and experience from other successful programs. This blend of internal and external expertise is increasingly common in Major League Baseball, as teams seek to balance stability with innovation in player development. For the Red Sox, the timing of these moves is particularly significant, coming on the heels of a high-profile departure and as the organization continues to navigate an evolving competitive landscape in both the American League East and across Major League Baseball.
Looking at the broader front office picture, Boston’s recent adjustments reflect a proactive approach to talent management and strategic planning. Beyond pitching, the team has made moves such as appointing Mark Heil as director of international scouting, highlighting a focus on talent acquisition and development across all levels. The absence of a replacement for Toboni suggests a period of adjustment, as the Red Sox may choose to consolidate responsibilities among existing personnel rather than expand the senior leadership structure immediately. Such decisions often reflect a combination of financial strategy, organizational culture, and long-term vision, all of which play a role in how baseball operations are structured.
Craig Breslow’s leadership has been central to the recent reshuffling. A former major league pitcher himself, Breslow brings firsthand experience to the oversight of pitching operations and player development. His relationships with Buck and Otero, forged during previous professional engagements, have clearly influenced the hiring and promotion decisions within the organization. By selecting individuals with whom he has a history of collaboration, Breslow ensures a degree of alignment in philosophy, methodology, and organizational goals, reducing friction and promoting cohesion within the pitching department.
In conclusion, the Red Sox’s promotion of Ben Buck to director of pitching, coupled with the strategic hires of Ryan Otero and Quinn Cleary, marks a significant step in the team’s efforts to maintain and enhance its pitching development program following Justin Willard’s departure. Buck’s extensive coaching background, combined with the complementary experiences of Otero and Cleary, positions the organization to leverage both analytical and hands-on approaches in developing pitchers across the minor and major league systems. These moves, alongside other front office adjustments such as Mark Heil’s hiring, reflect Boston’s ongoing commitment to building a sustainable and competitive baseball operation, one that emphasizes both internal continuity and the infusion of outside expertise. As the Red Sox navigate this period of transition, their structured approach to pitching and player development will likely play a critical role in shaping the team’s success in the coming seasons.
