Chris Lein

Christopher Paul Lein

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 230 lb.
• Schools Valencia Community College, Florida International University
• High School Monsignor Farrell High School

• Born October 23, 1958 in Staten Island, NY USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Chris Lein pitched 7 years in the minors (with a 34-32 record), coached for 14 years and later scouted for six.

He played college ball at Valencia Community College in 1978 and Florida International University in 1979 where he went 15-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 136 innings pitched. He threw 11 complete games, 7 consecutively and threw 6 shutouts. He was named to the 1979 ABCA Division II All-American First Team as a result. He was drafted in the 16th round by the New York Yankees in the 1979 amateur draft.

He played for the Paintsville Yankees in the Appalachian League in 1979, going 4-5 with a 5.06 ERA. In 1980, he was 8-5 with 5 saves and a 2.50 ERA for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees of the Florida State League. He was 7th in the Florida State League in ERA. In 1981, he returned to Fort Lauderdale and was even better - 11-11 with a save and a 2.25 ERA. He walked only 29 batters in 172 innings. He was 6th in the FSL in ERA.

In 1982, Lein was 7-10 with a 3.97 ERA for the AA Nashville Sounds of the Southern League. Released by the Yankees in the spring of 1983, Chris signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he played for the Alexandria Dukes in the Carolina League in 1983, going 4-1 with a 5.93 ERA. He would make brief appearances on the hill in 1985 and 1988, getting no decisions.

His career as a pitching coach began in 1984 for the Pirates for the Macon Pirates, then moving to the Prince William Pirates in 1985-86 with the immensely popular Rocky Bridges as his manager. He was with the Salem Buccaneers in 1987-88, Harrisburg Senators in 1989 (with current Baltimore Orioles manager Dave Trembley) and back to Salem in 1990. He began coaching in the Baltimore Orioles organization in 1991 for the Bluefield Orioles. Lein spent 3 seasons with the GCL Orioles (1992-94), and then moved to the Bowie Baysox in 1995-96. He was re-signed by the Pirates in 1997 to coach for the Erie SeaWolves in the NY-Penn league.

Chris also coached winter ball in 1986 for Magallanes in the Venezuelan League and in 1995 for Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League (with future Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Mackanin)

From 1998-2003, he served as major league advance scout for the Pirates under general managers Cam Bonifay and Dave Littlefield and field managers Gene Lamont and Lloyd McClendon. Lein spent the better part of 25 years in professional baseball.

He returned to professional baseball as a professional scout for the Chicago White Sox in 2014 after an 11 year hiatus in the private sector. He worked as a pitching coach for two Jacksonville, Florida high schools; Eagles View Academy from 2008-2010 and Mandarin High School in 2014.

He is married to Torree and is the father of two boys, Dakota and Jackson. As of last check, he resides in Jacksonville, Florida.