Red Sox Promote Pitching Duo to Lead Development

Ben Buck and Quinn Cleary take over as directors of pitching, tasked with continuing organization's pitching pipeline success.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Boston Red Sox have promoted Ben Buck to director of pitching and hired Quinn Cleary from the Seattle Mariners as the assistant director of pitching and head pitching strategist. The two will be responsible for overseeing the team's pitching development program, which has seen a major turnaround in recent years under former director Justin Willard, who was hired away by the New York Mets this offseason.

Why it matters

The Red Sox have gone from one of the worst organizations at developing young pitchers to one of the best, and now have a deep pool of talented arms making an impact at the major league level. Maintaining this pipeline of pitching talent is crucial for the team's long-term success, which is why the promotions of Buck and Cleary are so important.

The details

Buck, who previously worked as a pitching coordinator with the Yankees, earned his promotion after just one year with the Red Sox organization. He is known for his innovative coaching approach and emphasis on "throwing nasty stuff in the zone." Cleary, at just 26 years old, has quickly risen through the front office ranks, previously working for the Phillies and Mariners. He will serve in a hybrid front office and coaching role, assisting with both major and minor league pitchers.

  • Buck joined the Red Sox as a pitching coordinator following the 2024 season.
  • This past offseason, the Red Sox promoted Buck to director of pitching and hired Cleary as the assistant director of pitching and head pitching strategist.

The players

Ben Buck

The new director of pitching for the Boston Red Sox, previously worked as a pitching coordinator with the New York Yankees.

Quinn Cleary

The new assistant director of pitching and head pitching strategist for the Boston Red Sox, previously worked in the front offices of the Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners.

Justin Willard

The former director of pitching for the Boston Red Sox, who was hired away by the New York Mets this offseason to be their new major league pitching coach.

Payton Tolle

One of the Red Sox's top pitching prospects, who rose from High-A to the majors in just his first year of professional baseball while working with Buck.

Garrett Whitlock

A future Red Sox right-hander, who worked with Buck as his pitching coach during his rookie ball days as a Yankees farmhand.

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What they’re saying

“The first time that I talked to him or heard him talk about pitching, I was a lot dumber then (than I am now). He's one of the smartest guys that I've ever been around in the baseball world so to now have him as the head of development, it's huge.”

— Payton Tolle, Red Sox pitching prospect

“I think he's going to be great for the organization. He's a very good pitching mind. He's going to bring a lot of wisdom to the table when it comes to the movement side of things, the preparation, how to build up arms, that kind of thing. He's very, very good at that.”

— Garrett Whitlock, Red Sox pitcher

“What a great hire. Sharp mind, huge feel, I can't imagine being as young as he is, as smart as he is, with as much feel as he has.”

— Ben Buck, Red Sox director of pitching

What’s next

With a deep pool of talented young pitchers in the Red Sox system, Buck and Cleary will be tasked with continuing to develop that pipeline of pitching talent to sustain the team's success on the mound.

The takeaway

The Red Sox's investment in their pitching development program has paid major dividends in recent years, and the promotions of Buck and Cleary show the organization's commitment to maintaining that edge. Their ability to build on the strong foundation laid by their predecessor will be crucial to the team's long-term pitching success.