# Jeff Datz

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{{Short description|American baseball player and coach (born 1959)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Jeff Datz
|image=Jeff Datz 2012.jpg
|image_size=240px
|caption=Datz throwing [batting practice](/source/batting_practice) for the Mariners in 2012
|position=[Catcher](/source/Catcher)
|team=
|number=
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1959|11|28}}
|birth_place=[Camden, New Jersey](/source/Camden%2C_New_Jersey), U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 5
|debutyear=1989
|debutteam=Detroit Tigers
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 30
|finalyear=1989
|finalteam=Detroit Tigers
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
|stat1value=.200
|stat2label=[Hit](/source/Hit_(baseball))s
|stat2value=2
|stat3label=[Walks](/source/Base_on_Balls)
|stat3value=1
|teams=
;As player
*[Detroit Tigers](/source/Detroit_Tigers) ({{mlby|1989}})
;As coach
*[Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians) ({{mlby|2002}}–{{mlby|2009}})
*[Baltimore Orioles](/source/Baltimore_Orioles) ({{mlby|2010}})
*[Seattle Mariners](/source/Seattle_Mariners) ({{mlby|2011}}–{{mlby|2013}})
}}'''Jeffrey William Datz''' (born November 28, 1959) is an American former [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) (MLB) [catcher](/source/catcher) and [coach](/source/coach_(baseball)) who played for the [Detroit Tigers](/source/Detroit_Tigers) in 1989, and who is currently a [scout](/source/scout_(sports)) for the [New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees).

==Playing career==
A native of [Camden, New Jersey](/source/Camden%2C_New_Jersey), Datz grew up in the [Mullica Hill](/source/Mullica_Hill%2C_New_Jersey) section of [Harrison Township, New Jersey](/source/Harrison_Township%2C_New_Jersey) and graduated from [Clearview Regional High School](/source/Clearview_Regional_High_School).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carchidi |first=Sam |date=April 4, 2004 |title=Family again witnesses history |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/201065455/ |access-date=September 5, 2021 |work=[The Philadelphia Inquirer](/source/The_Philadelphia_Inquirer) |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Ancestry.com) |quote=Jeff Datz was a lifelong Phillies fan when he grew up in Mullica Hill in Gloucester County. He attended Clearview High, where he was a baseball and football standout, and later played baseball at Glassboro State College.}}</ref> He attended [Rowan University](/source/Rowan_University). In 1981, he played [collegiate summer baseball](/source/collegiate_summer_baseball) with the [Chatham A's](/source/Chatham_A's) of the [Cape Cod Baseball League](/source/Cape_Cod_Baseball_League).<ref>{{cite web |author= |date= |title=Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League |url=http://capecodbaseball.org.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/2012website/archives/Current%20Year/All_Time_MLB_CCBL_Alumni.pdf |access-date=January 9, 2020 |website=[Cape Cod Baseball League](/source/Cape_Cod_Baseball_League)}}</ref> He was selected by the [Houston Astros](/source/Houston_Astros) in the 19th round (485th overall) of the [1982 Major League Baseball draft](/source/1982_Major_League_Baseball_draft).<ref>{{Cite web |title=19th Round of the 1982 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1982&draft_round=19&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[Baseball Reference](/source/Baseball_Reference) |language=en}}</ref>

Datz signed as a free agent with the [Detroit Tigers](/source/Detroit_Tigers) prior to the [1989 season](/source/1989_in_baseball), and appeared in seven games for the team that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jeff Datz Statistics and History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/datzje01.shtml |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[Baseball Reference](/source/Baseball_Reference)}}</ref>

==Coaching career==

Datz was manager of the minor league [Buffalo Bisons](/source/Buffalo_Bisons) in 1998 and 1999. He led the Bisons to the league championship crown in 1998.

On March 19, 2002, Datz was hired as the bench coach for the [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians) under manager [Charlie Manuel](/source/Charlie_Manuel).<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2002 |title=Roundup: Indians hire Datz to replace Little on bench |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2000/0605/569061.html |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[ESPN](/source/ESPN)}}</ref> In 2003, Manuel was replaced by [Eric Wedge](/source/Eric_Wedge), and he moved Datz to first base coach.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Justice B. |date=November 27, 2002 |title=Wedge hires Bell as bench coach |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cle/news/cle_news.jsp?ymd=20021127&content_id=181480&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021219012151/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cle/news/cle_news.jsp?ymd=20021127&content_id=181480&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp |archive-date=December 19, 2002 |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Guardians) |publisher=[MLB.com](/source/MLB.com)}}</ref> Datz served on Cleveland's coaching staff until the end of the 2009 season, when general manager [Mark Shapiro](/source/Mark_Shapiro_(sports_executive)) fired the entire coaching staff.<ref>{{cite web |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |date=September 30, 2009 |title=Indians dismiss Wedge, coaching staff |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090930&content_id=7241814&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014083849/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090930&content_id=7241814&vkey=news_cle&c_id=cle&fext=.jsp |archive-date=October 14, 2013 |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Guardians) |publisher=[MLB.com](/source/MLB.com)}}</ref> At the 2008 [Home Run Derby](/source/Home_Run_Derby) at [Yankee Stadium](/source/Yankee_Stadium_(1923)), Datz pitched for [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians) center fielder [Grady Sizemore](/source/Grady_Sizemore).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Langosch |first=Jennifer |date=July 14, 2008 |title=Sizemore relaxes, has fun at Derby |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080714&content_id=3135684&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718164553/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080714&content_id=3135684&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |archive-date=July 18, 2008 |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Guardians) |publisher=[MLB.com](/source/MLB.com)}}</ref>

On October 29, 2009, Datz was hired as the bench coach for the [Baltimore Orioles](/source/Baltimore_Orioles).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fordin |first=Spencer |date=October 29, 2009 |title=Orioles hire Datz as bench coach |url=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091029&content_id=7574726&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091102052150/http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091029&content_id=7574726&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal |archive-date=November 2, 2009 |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[Baltimore Orioles](/source/Baltimore_Orioles) |publisher=[MLB.com](/source/MLB.com)}}</ref>

On November 4, 2010, Datz was hired to be third base coach for the [Seattle Mariners](/source/Seattle_Mariners) starting with the 2011 season. The hiring reunited him with Eric Wedge, who had recently been hired as the Mariners' manager.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 4, 2010 |title=M's Kotchman refuses outright assignment, is FA |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5764756 |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=[ESPN](/source/ESPN) |language=en}}</ref> Before a Mariners game against the [Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim](/source/2013_Los_Angeles_Angels_of_Anaheim_season) on April 27, 2013, Datz announced that he was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer,<ref>{{cite web |date=April 27, 2013 |title=Mariners' 3B coach diagnosed with cancer |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/mariners-3b-coach-diagnosed-cancer-013030717.html |access-date=April 28, 2013 |website=[Yahoo! Sports](/source/Yahoo!_Sports) |publisher=The Sports Xchange}}</ref> and [Tacoma Rainiers](/source/Tacoma_Rainiers) manager [Daren Brown](/source/Daren_Brown) was promoted to substitute for Datz.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 2, 2013 |title=Mariners add Brown to coaching staff |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/mariners-add-brown-coaching-staff-212853534--mlb.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701163508/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/mariners-add-brown-coaching-staff-212853534--mlb.html |archive-date=2020-07-01 |access-date=May 2, 2013 |website=[Yahoo! Sports](/source/Yahoo!_Sports) |publisher= |agency=[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press)}} </ref> On August 23, 2013, Datz resumed his position on the team as an extra coach.

==Scouting career==
On November 25, 2013, it was announced that Datz will serve the Mariners as a member of the club's [professional scouting](/source/scout_(sports)) staff for the {{mlby|2014}} season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Johns |first=Greg |date=November 25, 2013 |title=Mariners announce McClendon's coaching staff |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/sea/mariners-announce-manager-lloyd-mcclendons-coaching-staff?ymd=20131125&content_id=64197268&vkey=news_sea |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130084038/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/sea/mariners-announce-manager-lloyd-mcclendons-coaching-staff?ymd=20131125&content_id=64197268&vkey=news_sea |archive-date=November 30, 2013 |access-date=December 27, 2013 |website=[Seattle Mariners](/source/Seattle_Mariners) |publisher=[MLB.com](/source/MLB.com)}}</ref>

Datz later joined the [New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees), where he was listed as a professional scout for the {{mlby|2016}} season.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Baseball America 2015 Directory |publisher=[Baseball America](/source/Baseball_America) |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-932391-56-5 |editor1-last=Leventhal |editor1-first=Josh |location=Durham, N.C.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Baseball America 2016 Directory |publisher=[Baseball America](/source/Baseball_America) |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-932391-62-6 |editor1-last=Norris |editor1-first=Josh |location=Durham, North Carolina}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{baseballstats|br=d/datzje01|brm=datz--001jef|retro=D/Pdatzj001}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110917165540/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=sea&coachorstaffid=113066 "MLB.com Mariners Bio"]

{{Portal bar|Biography|Baseball}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Datz, Jeff}}
Category:1959 births
Category:Living people
Category:Auburn Astros players
Category:Baltimore Orioles coaches
Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) managers
Category:Chatham Anglers players
Category:Clearview Regional High School alumni
Category:Columbus Astros players
Category:Columbus Clippers players
Category:Daytona Beach Astros players
Category:Detroit Tigers players
Category:Cleveland Indians coaches
Category:Cleveland Indians scouts
Category:Major League Baseball bench coaches
Category:Major League Baseball first base coaches
Category:Major League Baseball third base coaches
Category:New York Yankees scouts
Category:Seattle Mariners coaches
Category:Seattle Mariners scouts
Category:Toledo Mud Hens players
Category:Baseball players from Camden, New Jersey
Category:People from Harrison Township, New Jersey
Category:Baseball players from Gloucester County, New Jersey
Category:Rowan Profs baseball players
Category:20th-century American sportsmen

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jeff Datz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Datz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Datz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.