Orioles hire Scott Coolbaugh as hitting coach

The Baltimore Orioles have announced that Scott Coolbaugh will take over as hitting coach for the 2015 season.

Coolbaugh spent the last eight seasons with the Texas Rangers, where he served as hitting coach from June of 2011 until the conclusion of the 2012 campaign, before interviewing with Orioles manager Buck Showalter and vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson earlier this week.

"I don't think I've ever interviewed somebody who's had more positive feedback from people you ask about him," Showalter told MASN's Roch Kubatko of Coolbaugh.

Coolbaugh, who also boasts managerial experience at the minor-league level, is set to take over for Jim Presley, who was re-assigned within the organization due to personal reasons following the 2014 season.

The Orioles managed 4.35 runs per game last season - the eighth-most in the major leagues - while notching more home runs than any other team. Coolbaugh, however, will be tasked with sustaining the club's prolific offense despite the recent departures of both Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis.