The Baltimore Orioles have unveiled their coaching staff for the 2024 campaign, and it appears to be a successful recipe. Leading the club for the sixth straight season, Brandon Hyde will be supported by an experienced staff of coaches. The Orioles filled a critical void in their coaching staff by strategically hiring Drew French as the pitching coach in late November, which only served to heighten the enthusiasm.
Two notable newcomers join Drew French on this season’s coaching dream team: Mitch Plassmeyer, who has been elevated to assistant pitching coach, and Grant Anders, who takes over as Major League development coach. The coaching jigsaw for the forthcoming season is now complete with these calculated positions.
The Orioles have made the decision to retain a number of their coaching staff members in an effort to maintain the momentum from the previous campaign. While Ryan Fuller and Matt Borgschulte continue to be the dynamic combo of co-hitting coaches, Cody Asche is still the master of offensive strategy. With Tim Cossins serving as both the field coordinator and catching instructor, José Hernández as the Major League coach, Ryan Klimek supervising pitching strategy, Tony Mansolino as the third-base coach, and Anthony Sanders filling in as the first-base coach, the coaching staff is still strong.
As the new pitching coach, Drew French assumes the lead role, replacing Chris Holt. But Holt isn’t stepping aside; in fact, he was elevated to the esteemed position of director of pitching for the Orioles, where he will continue to play a vital role in the development of pitchers at all levels.
Mitch Plassmeyer, who has experience as the Minor League pitching coordinator since May 2022, fills the void created by Darren Holmes’ resignation as assistant pitching coach at the end of the 2023 season. Before joining the Orioles, Plassmeyer displayed his coaching abilities at the University of Missouri-Columbia, serving as the pitching coach in 2022 and as the director of player development from 2021 to 2022. He also had a notable collegiate baseball career at Bradley University, which is an intriguing fact.
Since December 2021, Grant Anders has served as the Orioles’ Major League player development analyst. He will now take on the responsibilities of Major League development coach. Prior to this, he worked as the director of player development at Radford University and as a development coach at Double-A Bowie.
Following an incredible 2023 season that included an American League East championship and a fantastic 101-61 record, the Orioles, led by their newly reorganized coaching staff, are aiming for a deeper postseason run in 2024.
