What it meant for Reds' Derek Johnson to see his mentee coach the Phillies to an NL title

Early last season, Philadelphia Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham called Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson and asked his biggest mentor in baseball for his blessing.

Johnson had coached Cotham at Vanderbilt in the late 2000s, and a decade later Johnson gave Cotham his first chance to be a coach. Cotham was the Reds’ assistant pitching coach for two seasons in 2019 and 2020 before the Phillies hired him.

Cotham believed in Johnson’s motto to "fearlessly attack hitters.” The Reds use that mantra often with the acronym “FAH” on T-shirts and scouting reports. Cotham wanted Johnson’s permission to take that motto and tweak it. 

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Johnson told Cotham, “This is yours as much as it is mine.” And so as the Phillies made a run to a National League Championship last season, their pitching staff rallied behind the acronym of “PHAH,” which uses the “PH” in Phillies to reflect the same message. 

“You take what you learn and make it your own,” Cotham said.

The Phillies made a run to the World Series last year with a pitching staff that Cotham has developed. Since Cotham went to Philadelphia in 2021, Phillies ace Zack Wheeler has become a perennial Cy Young candidate. Starter Aaron Nola bounced back from a few down years and posted a 3.24 ERA last season with 235 strikeouts in 205 innings. 

Cotham converted Ranger Suarez from a reliever into a starting pitcher who posted a 3.65 ERA last season. Bailey Falter gave the Phillies quality innings during his first full year in MLB in 2022. Zach Eflin, a back-of-the-rotation pitcher, threw so well in 2022 that the Tampa Bay Rays gave him a $40 million contract at the end of the season.

The Phillies’ pitching staff posted a 3.97 ERA during the 2022 regular season. During the playoffs, the pitching staff had a 3.24 ERA during the Phillies’ incredible run.

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“It’s about as proud as I could be in terms of baseball,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of humbling in some ways.”

Six years ago, Cotham was a recently retired reliever who was working for a pitching analytics company. Johnson saw Cotham’s potential as a coach, and the Reds made him their assistant pitching coach in 2019.

Cotham worked alongside Johnson as the Reds built a playoff contender that was fueled by its rotation. As Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle and Trevor Bauer became one of the best rotations in MLB, Cotham said he learned how to be an effective coach.

“DJ’s philosophy, how I think about pitching and all of that stuff is in my blood,” Cotham said. “Anything coaching related, it comes from those guys in Cincinnati.”

Cotham carried Johnson’s philosophy over to Philadelphia. They have the same mantra about trusting your stuff and fearlessly attacking hitters. Cotham planned spring training for Philadelphia’s pitchers based on what had worked with the Reds.Cotham also saw similarities between Wheeler and Gray, so Cotham drew upon his experience working with Gray to help Wheeler develop.

“They’re elite competitors who can make pitches move about 50 different ways,” Cotham said. “Helping Sonny understand the differences between his slider and his curveball to get the best version of both pitches, that’s a process you go through with pitchers like Zack.”

Johnson stresses the balance of “the arts and the sciences of pitching,” and he balances the mental side of the game with analytics. Cotham has also brought that approach over to Philadelphia.  

Whenever he works with a pitcher on adjustments, Cotham explains why he wants that pitcher to make changes.

“We have the philosophy to attack the zone with our best stuff,” Phillies reliever Connor Brogdon said. “We all buy into what Caleb preaches. We’re constantly trying to get better. If there’s any room for improvement, we find that.”

“He’s very open-minded, and he’s very smart,” Phillies starting pitcher Matt Strahm said. “His communication skills are unbelievable. And he really backs up what he’s talking about.”

In addition to Cotham, Johnson’s coaching tree is starting to grow around baseball. Former Reds assistant pitching coach Eric Jagers is now the Director of Pitching Development for the New York Mets. Former Vanderbilt pitcher Casey Weather, who worked with Cotham at the Driveline pitching development lab, is now the Reds’ minor league pitching coordinator. 

“DJ has created a pipeline, and I’m very grateful for his leadership,” Cotham said. “He’s the greatest mentor in my life outside of my parents. I go to him a lot. I know a lot of people feel the same. He’s the best.”