Former standout catcher Ted Simmons has joined the Braves as a major league scout, one of four hires announced Monday by general manager John Coppolella.
Matt Kinzer and Leon Wurth were also hired as major league scouts, while Kiley McDaniel joins the Braves as assistant director of baseball operations.
Simmons, 66, was an eight-time All-Star who hit .285 with 248 home runs and 1,389 RBIs in a 21-year career that included three seasons with the Braves in 1986-1988. He finished in the top 15 in National League MVP balloting five times in a six-year span with the Cardinals through 1977.
Simmons spent the past five seasons with the Mariners as a special advisor to the GM, after previous front-office positions with four organizations including the Cardinals and Pirates. He was Pittsburgh’s senior vice president and GM in 1992-1993.
Kinzer, 52, spent the past five seasons as a Marlins scout. The former pitcher made it to the majors with the Cardinals and Tigers in 1989-1990, and Kinzer also was a punter who appeared in one game for the Detroit Lions in 1987.
Wurth, 62, spent 13 seasons with the Brewers, serving as a pro scout in 2015. He was a Yankees scout from 1993 through 2002.
McDaniel, 30, was lead prospect analyst for Fangraphs.com, after previously working with the Yankees, Orioles and Pirates organizations.
The Braves also announced three promotions in the baseball operations department: A.J. Scola was promoted to manager of minor league operations, Danielle Monday to baseball operations assistant, and Chris Lionetti to scouting assistant. All were promoted from baseball operations trainee positions.
