The Braves lost one of their coaches to the White Sox, who filled out new manager Pedro Grifol’s coaching staff.
José Castro, one of the Braves’ assistant hitting coaches, is the new hitting coach for the White Sox.
Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes are still on manager Brian Snitker’s staff with the Braves.
The Braves do not plan to fill Castro’s position. Instead, Seitzer and Magallanes will continue working in their current roles.
Castro, who joined the Braves in October 2014, spent eight seasons with the team. He worked alongside Magallanes, as both were assistants for Seitzer.
In 2014, Castro worked as the quality assurance coach for the Cubs before going to Atlanta. He also had compiled more than 26 years of experience as a minor-league hitting coordinator or hitting coach in the Montreal, Florida, San Diego and Seattle organizations. Castro worked as Seattle’s interim hitting coach in 2008.
Over the past few seasons, the Braves have been one of baseball’s top offenses. It seemed natural that this would earn their coaches looks from other organizations.
Castro is receiving a promotion. Otherwise, it appears Snitker’s staff will remain in place for 2023.
It seems as if anyone who leaves would do so by his own choice.
On a Zoom call the day after the Braves’ season ended, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said he doesn’t believe any coaches on the major-league staff have been in the final year of their contracts. Anthopoulos said that, from a philosophical standpoint, he doesn’t believe in it.
He also added that just because someone is under contract doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to be there the next season. He then praised the coaching staff, making it clear the Braves were happy with the job Snitker and his coaches did during a 2022 season that ended with the team’s fifth consecutive National League East title.
“If you’re under contract, you’re here,” Anthopoulos said. “You’re here until you’re not here.”
