Braves announce their entire 2026 coaching staff

The Braves announced their entire coaching staff for the 2026 season Tuesday, sharing who will compose new manager Walt Weiss’ new-look group.

Weiss, 61, takes over after spending eight seasons as Brian Snitker’s bench coach. Snitker transitioned to an advisory role following the 2025 season, and after a thorough search, the Braves decided to promote Weiss.

There will be plenty of fresh perspective around the new manager: His 10-person staff includes eight newcomers. The Braves retained hitting coach Tim Hyers and beloved major league coach Eddie Perez.

Hyers, 54, oversaw a significant offensive turnaround in the second half of his first season with the organization. Perez, meanwhile, will be in his 37th season with the franchise (and 16th on the major league coaching staff).

Tony Mansolino will serve as Weiss’ bench coach. His hiring was initially announced as third base coach, a role in which he spent the past five years with the Orioles, but he’ll instead be Weiss’ right-hand man.

Mansolino was Baltimore’s interim manager last season after the club dismissed Brandon Hyde. He led the Orioles to a 60-59 record. He’s worked in multiple roles through the years, including as a hitting coach, but this is his first experience as a bench coach.

New pitching coach Jeremy Hefner notably takes over for Rick Kranitz, who enjoyed a fruitful tenure overseeing Braves pitchers. Hefner, 39, arrives extremely highly regarded for his work over the past six years with the Mets. His staff earned six All-Star nods and had a collective 4.02 ERA — sixth best in the National League — during his time in New York.

The Braves hired Antoan Richardson as first base coach. Richardson, 42, also comes from the Mets, where he served as baserunning instructor and helped New York lead MLB in stolen-base percentage (89.1%). Like Hefner, his hiring came with MLB-wide applause.

Tommy Watkins was named third base coach. Watkins was the longest-tenured coach in the Twins organization but gets a fresh start after Minnesota overhauled its staff. He spent 26 years with Minnesota as a player and coach, most recently serving as the third base coach across the past four years. He also has experience as a first base coach and minor league hitting coach and manager.

J.P. Martinez is the Braves’ new bullpen coach. Martinez, 43, was the Giants’ pitching coach last season. San Francisco’s bullpen was productive under Martinez (3.44 ERA, third best in MLB). He was an assistant pitching coach from 2021-24.

The Braves also hired Dustin Garneau as catching coach, Darnell Coles as assistant hitting coach and Tony Diaz as a major league coach.

Garneau, 38, was the bullpen coach for the Rockies last season. He worked as the organization’s catching and game planning coordinator in the previous two years. He “introduced game planning to catchers at various levels of the Rockies’ system,” the Braves said in their news release.