Braves Finalize Staff: Tony Mansolino Named Bench Coach, Tommy Watkins Hired as Third-Base Coach.vc

viet cuong4 hours ago

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In a shift from the initial announcement, the former Orioles interim manager will serve as Walt Weiss’s new right-hand man, with the longtime Twins coach taking over at third.

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have officially finalized their 2026 Major League coaching staff, announcing a key update to their recent hires.

Tony Mansolino, who was introduced last week as the team’s new third-base coach, will instead serve as the new bench coach under manager Walt Weiss. The move, confirmed by the team on Tuesday, fills the role previously held by Weiss before his promotion to manager.

Mansolino, 43, was the interim manager for the Baltimore Orioles in 2025, guiding the team to a 60-59 record after a 15-28 start. His managerial experience makes him a natural fit for the bench coach position.

Tommy Watkins Hired for Third Base

With Mansolino moving to the bench, the Braves have hired Tommy Watkins to be their new third-base coach.

Watkins, 45, has spent his entire 26-year professional career with the Minnesota Twins organization as a player and coach. He served as the Twins’ third-base coach for the past four seasons (2022-2025) and was their first-base coach from 2019-2021.

Walt Weiss’s 2026 Staff is Set

The hiring of Watkins finalizes the complete overhaul of the Braves’ coaching staff. The new staff includes eight new coaches, with only hitting coach Tim Hyers and major league coach Eddie Pérez being retained from Brian Snitker’s 2025 staff.

The finalized 2026 Atlanta Braves coaching staff is as follows: