Atlanta Braves Make Additions To Coaching Staffs

Braves Bolster Coaching Staff

The Atlanta Braves have made a few moves in the coaching department of their minor league affiliates.  On Monday, it was announced that Damon Berryhill will be the new manager of the Gwinnett Braves.

From 2009 to 2015, Berryhill was with the LA Dodgers organization.  He managed the Triple-A Dodgers from 2014-15 and led the team to a franchise-record 86 wins, the American Northern Division title and a berth in the PCL Playoffs.  In 2015, he was named Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year, but after the season the Dodgers front office decided to not renew his contract.

In 2016, John Moses took over the managerial position in Gwinnett when Brian Snitker got the call to join the Atlanta Braves on May 17.  Under the leadership of Moses, the GBraves went 46-55 and captured their first-ever International League South Division championship.  They also reached the Governors’ Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2009.  Moses will return as Gwinnett’s hitting coach.

Interesting move by the Dodgers, especially if you think back to how many moves that team made in 2015.  Guess there was something behind the scenes that we wouldn’t know about.  Berryhill was only given two years at the Triple-A level so that move looks strange on paper.

When asked back in 2015 why they let Berryhill walk, Director of Player Development said…

"At this moment in time, we wanted to bring in some new voices in some key areas. Our changes should not be viewed as a reflection on any performance; they simply reflect that we are heading in a different direction."

Before joining the Dodgers organization in 2009, Berryhill spent time as a coach with the Angels, D-backs and Rangers from 2002-2008.

The now 53-year-old spent 10 years as a catcher in the MLB from 1987-1997 (didn’t play in 1996).  The Braves acquired Berryhill along with pitcher Mike Bielecki from the Chicago Cubs on September 29, 1991 in exchange for Yorkis Perez and Turk Wendell.

He played in Atlanta from 1991-1993 and then the Braves granted his free agency after the year.  In 217 games with the Braves, the catcher had a .236 batting average.  He did hit a game-winning three-run homer in Game 1 of the 1992 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Other Moves By The Braves

In addition to the new coaches, the Braves will have 13 staff members returning for the upcoming 2017 season.

Gwinnett Braves

Reid Cornelius – will be Gwinnett’s new pitching coach.  Has been within the Marlins’ organization for the past 14 season and the past seven as their bullpen coach

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Manager – Berryhill

Pitching Coach – Cornelius

Hitting Coach – Moses

Mississippi Braves

Manager – Luis Salazar returns for his seventh season with the MBraves

Pitching Coach – Derrick Lewis moves up from the Carolina Mudcats (former High-A)

Hitting Coach – Ivan Cruz moves up from Rookie-level Danville

Florida Fire Frogs

Manager – Paul Runge, who spent the past six seasons as the Houston Astros’ Minor League Field Coordinator and who previously managed in the Braves organization in 1994-2001 and again from 2005-10

Pitching Coach – Dennis Lewallyn, who moves from pitching coach of Double-A Mississippi Braves

Hitting Coach – Carlos Mendez stays at this position for his fourth consecutive year

Rome Braves

Nothing official was announced for the Rome Braves, but I’m guessing it all stayed the same

Manager – Randy Ingle

Pitching Coach – Dan Meyer

Hitting Coach – Bobby Moore

Danville Braves

Manager – Nestor Perez

Pitching Coach – Kanekoa Texeira

Hitting Coach – Barbaro Garbey

Next: What It Would Take For The Braves To Acquire Mike Trout

Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves

Manager – Barrett Kleinknecht, which will be his first chance to serve as a manager after retiring in 2015.  He played six years within the Braves organization as a third baseman, first, second, catcher and even pitched in a few games.  He did help coach the Rome Braves in 2016.

Pitching Coach – Larry McCall

Hitting Coach – Rick Albert