MIAMI — After spending several seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Clayton McCullough saw what it took to win.

McCullough, hired by the Miami Marlins as the 17th manager in club history, needed only a few conversations with Marlins executives before he felt he could help lead that organization in the same direction. .

“As I had the opportunity to speak with Peter (Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix) about his vision for what was going to happen here,” McCullough said, “the importance of culture, he importance of people – certainly, winning – it was good.

The Marlins officially introduced McCullough, the Dodgers’ first base coach since 2021, as their new manager. They hope it will become one of the centerpieces of their latest reconstruction project.

Miami went 62-100 this year, losing at least 100 games for the second time in six seasons.

Looking to the future, the Marlins traded most of their top players for cheaper prospects. And they mutually agreed to part ways with 2023 NL Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker at the end of the season.

“I don’t want an 18th manager,” said Marlins owner Bruce Sherman, who is making his third managerial hire since 2022. “I want a 17th manager to stay for many, many years.”

McCullough spoke with Bendix and other team executives on several video calls over the past month. He met them in person at his home in Jupiter, Florida, shortly after the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in the World Series, and he also flew to Miami to have dinner with everyone.

“As I went through this, my comfort level with everyone and everything increased,” McCullough said. “And I left that night after dinner coming back to Jupiter saying, ‘I hope this is something I can cross the finish line and it happens.'”

McCullough comes from an organization that has used considerable resources to sign big-name players and build a title-winning roster. The Marlins have a very different approach to spending, with one of the lowest payrolls in MLB. They will spend approximately $31.5 million on payroll next season.

“There are a lot of different ways to win,” McCullough said. “There is no guarantee that just having a higher payroll guarantees that you will win. Successful teams are all very detail-oriented. They engage in their preparation. They commit to taking a step forward every day.

McCullough was also undeterred by a rebuilding franchise.

“Deep down, I’ve always loved player development,” he said. “For me, at the major league level, it’s less about inexperienced or younger players or veteran players. I discovered that major league players want to be coached. They want to get better. I think this is somewhat independent of experience level.

A native of Oxford, North Carolina, McCullough got into baseball while watching his father, Howard, coach at the University of North Carolina and work as a scout for several major league teams.

Clayton McCullough spent one season at Vanderbilt before transferring to East Carolina University. He was drafted by Cleveland in the 22nd round in 2002 and played in their minor league system from 2002 to 2005.

McCullough was a manager in the Blue Jays minor league system for seven seasons. The 44-year-old was hired by the Dodgers in 2015 as a minor league field coordinator before becoming their first base coach. He cited Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and former longtime Blue Jays manager Luis Rivera as mentors.

As for what made McCullough the right fit, Bendix noted his “patience, consistency and genuine concern for the people around him, not just as players, but as people.”

Sherman added that this search was a “complicated process” involving several other candidates. The Marlins also considered former Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and former Texas associate manager Will Venable.

“It fits perfectly,” Sherman said. “And when I saw that it suited me, I knew it was right.”