UL Washington Assumes Hitting Coach Duties

The Greenville Drive will have a new hitting coach for the 2013 season, as U.L. Washington, a veteran of the Red Sox organization, has been added to the staff.

Washington joins manager Carlos Febles and pitching coach Paul Abbott in Greenville. He takes over for Tim Hyers, who was named hitting coach in December but was quickly promoted to minor league hitting coordinator for the Red Sox.

Washington joined the Red Sox organization in 2003 as the hitting coach for AAA-Pawtucket. He then served as the system's infield coordinator for two seasons before spending the past seven seasons as the hitting coach for the GCL Red Sox. He was set to return to the GCL team before joining the Greenville staff.

Prior to coming to the Red Sox organization, Washington spent time coaching in the systems of the Pittsburgh Pirates (1989), Kansas City Royals (1991-98), Los Angeles Dodgers (1999) and Minnesota Twins (2001-02).

Washington spent 11 seasons as a shortstop in the major leagues between 1977 and 1987 with the Royals, Montreal Expos and Pirates. A .251 lifetime hitter, his best big league season came with the Royals in 1982, when he hit .286 with 10 homers and 60 RBIs while stealing 23 bases.