Mike Couchee

Michael Eugene Couchee (born December 4, 1957, in San Jose, California) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and a current minor league pitching coach with the San Jose Giants.

Couchee was selected three times in baseball's amateur draft, but chose to attend college rather than sign on the first two occasions. He was chosen by the San Francisco Giants in 1976, the Minnesota Twins in 1978, and the San Diego Padres in 1980. He eventually appeared in only 8 games in relief for the Padres, all in 1983. He had an 0–1 record with a 5.14 ERA. After his playing career ended, Couchee took up coaching, beginning with the Texas Rangers organization in 1986. He then spent 15 years as a coach with the California Angels organization, including a brief stint[1] as the team's bullpen coach in 1996 after Manager Marcel Lachemann quit.[2] In 2003, Couchee rejoined the Padres as a pitching coach for their Class AAA Portland Beavers.[3] He spent eight years as the San Diego Padres Minor League Pitching Coordinator from 2004 to 2011. Couchee was the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants' Arizona Rookie League club in 2012 and was named the pitching coach for the Giants' Single A team – the San Jose Giants – in 2013.

Couchee, a 1976 graduate of Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, California, quarterbacked the high school football team (the Wildcats) to the first undefeated season in the school's history. He also was a star pitcher for the school's baseball team. In 1980, Couchee received The President's Award as Most Valuable Player at the University of Southern California.[4]