Molleken joins PBA coaching staff

By Woodard, Dale on August 29, 2020.

Lethbridge Herald

With their 26th opening day around the corner, the Prairie Baseball Academy have added to their coach staff.

The PBA announced Thursday that alumnus Dustin Molleken will be joining the team as their pitching coach.

Molleken attended the PBA in 2003 before getting drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates that same year.

He spent seven years with the Pirates organization and another two years with the Colorado Rockies.

After spending one season in the NPB of Japan with the Nippon Ham Fighters, he returned to the MLB in 2013 with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2013-14 and the Cleveland Indians in 2014-15.

Molleken made his MLB debut on July 4, 2016 with the Detroit Tigers, posting two strikeouts in two innings.

In 2017 he joined the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League before spending the 2018 season with Quebec Capitales of the Canadian American League.

At the international level, Molleken was a member of Team Canada in 2011, winning a bronze medal at the Baseball World Cup.

In 2013, Molleken won the gold medal at the Pan Am Games, posting a 1.93 ERA in four appearances with one win and one save.

He was preparing to play for Canada again this season before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season.

“First of all, I’m honoured to be back and am really excited about joining the coaching staff,” said Molleken, the first former MLB player in PBA history to be a part of the coaching staff, in a statement. “(I bring) so much experience from my 18 years of playing professionally, I’m excited to come and help guys compete.”

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