Braves making few changes to coaching staff in 2021

ATLANTA (AP) — The three-time NL East champion Atlanta Braves will bring back largely the same coaching staff in 2021.

Manager Brian Snitker will again be assisted by bench coach Walt Weiss (fourth season with the Braves), hitting coach Kevin Seitzer (seventh season), pitching coach Rick Kranitz (third season), third base coach Ron Washington fifth season), catching coach Sal Fasano (fourth season) and assistant hitting coach José Castro (seventh season).

First base and outfield coach Eric Young Sr. will also return for his fourth season after opting not to travel during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, when the Braves won another division title and advanced to Game 7 of the NL championship series before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

DeMarlo Hale, who filled in as first base coach, left last month to become the bench coach for the Cleveland Indians.

Snitker will have two newcomers on his staff. Drew French will replace Marty Reed as bullpen coach, while Bobby Magallanes joins Castro to serve as an assistant hitting coach.

French spent the past five seasons in the Houston Astros organization. Magallanes joined the Braves as the hitting coach at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2019 and spent last season as the organization's assistant hitting coordinator.

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