MIAMI – FIU baseball head coach Pedro Grifol officially announced the hiring of Juan Alvarez to the Panthers coaching staff on Monday afternoon.
Alvarez will hold the title of assistant coach, serving as the program's pitching coach. A former Major League left-handed pitcher with extensive professional baseball and scouting experience, Alvarez joins the Panthers after spending nine years with the Chicago White Sox organization, most recently serving as a National Crosschecker and Scout.
"FIU has always been part of my family's story. From growing up playing baseball at Tamiami Park and attending FIU games as a kid to now joining Coach Grifol's staff while my daughter proudly represents FIU as a student-athlete, it's an incredible honor to come home," Alvarez said. "I'm excited to help develop our pitchers, embrace Coach Grifol's vision for the program and contribute to building something special for our student-athletes, alumni and the entire FIU community."
A Coral Gables native, Alvarez enjoyed a 10-year professional playing career from 1995-2004. The left-handed reliever spent time in the Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins and New York Yankees organizations, appearing in 80 Major League games. He was also a member of the 2003 World Series champion Florida Marlins.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Juan Alvarez to our staff at FIU," Grifol said. "Juan is a lifelong baseball man whose journey through the game reflects everything we value in this program — perseverance, humility, character and a relentless commitment to development.
"Juan brings a wealth of knowledge both on the field and in the recruiting process. He knows the South Florida landscape exceptionally well and has built meaningful relationships throughout the region, across the country and internationally during his baseball career. He is an outstanding communicator, a highly respected baseball mind and someone who understands how to connect with and develop young men."
After signing with the Angels as an undrafted free agent in 1995, Alvarez spent four seasons working his way through the organization's minor league system before making his Major League debut in 1999. Following his tenure with the Angels, he joined the Rangers in 2001 and appeared in 52 games out of the bullpen over two seasons. Alvarez later returned home to South Florida, joining the Marlins organization in 2003 as part of the club's World Series championship run before concluding his playing career in the Yankees organization in 2004.
Following his retirement from professional baseball, Alvarez transitioned into scouting with the Texas Rangers organization, serving as a regional scout covering South Florida and Puerto Rico. During his tenure, he identified and signed several notable prospects, including Major League pitcher Richard Bleier out of Florida Gulf Coast University. In 2011, his responsibilities expanded to include scouting duties throughout South and Central Florida as well as Puerto Rico.
In 2012, Alvarez joined the Cleveland Indians organization, now known as the Guardians, as an International Crosschecker and South Florida scout. In that role, he evaluated amateur and international prospects throughout Latin America, assessing mechanical development, velocity, projection and overall upside. His evaluations helped identify future Major League talent, including pitcher Triston McKenzie during his senior season at Royal Palm Beach High School.
Alvarez joined the Chicago White Sox organization in 2017 as a Southeast Crosschecker before being promoted to East Coast Crosschecker and later National Crosschecker in 2020. In his national role, he evaluated top amateur talent across the country for Major League Baseball Draft consideration while working closely with the scouting director and analytics department to align regional evaluations and draft strategy. He also supervised and mentored area scouts across multiple regions, ensuring consistency in player evaluations and organizational communication.
A South Florida native, Alvarez attended Coral Gables High School, where he was teammates with FIU Athletics Hall of Famer and two-time World Series champion Mike Lowell. He continued his playing career at St. Thomas University before signing with the Angels organization in 1995.
Alvarez resides in Miami with his wife, Ileana, and their two children, Andy and Annelise. Ileana and Andy are FIU alumni, while Annelise is a member of FIU's beach volleyball program.
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