Braves' Walt Weiss' new coaching staff signals cultural shift not seen in Atlanta in years

Hunter Cookston

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Braves' Walt Weiss' new coaching staff signals cultural shift not seen in Atlanta in years image

After a month-long process, Atlanta Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos finally hired new manager Walt Weiss, concluding a search that ultimately stayed in-house. Weiss now inherits a veteran team hungry to return to the playoffs.

“The Atlanta Braves hired Walt Weiss as manager Monday, turning to their longtime bench coach in hopes of a turnaround after they missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Weiss, 61, managed the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to 2016, going 283-365 and never finishing higher than third place. He inherits a talented Braves team that finished 76-86 and was ravaged by injuries,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote.

Earlier in the week, the Braves made several notable additions to their coaching staff.

Braves hired Jeremy Hefner as pitching coach. Hefner, 39, spent past 6 seasons with Mets, who had MLB's 6th-best ERA in that span. They also hired Antoan Richardson, 42, as 1st-base coach. He spent past 2 seasons in that role with Mets and was also OF & baserunning instructor,” The Athletic’s David O’Brien wrote.

On Friday, the Braves filled out the remainder of their staff. The organization is opting for a younger group, signaling a shift in how things will be run.

“The recent additions to Walt Weiss' Braves coaching staff bring a much younger dynamic than any Atlanta coaching staff in recent memory. Jeremy Hefner turns 40 in March, while Antoan Richardson is 42. Tony Mansolino and J.P. Martinez are both 43,” Braves reporter Grant McAuley posted.

Aside from Weiss, the new coaching staff is largely in its early 40s. The Braves typically hire more experienced candidates, but with Danny Lehmann having been a strong managerial favorite during the search, this direction isn’t entirely surprising.

Atlanta is determined to get back to the postseason — and believes it now has the right leadership team to make that happen. Change appears to be underway in Atlanta.

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Editorial Team