Inside the Atlanta Braves Coaching Staff: Who They Are and What They Do
If you live in Atlanta, spend time around Truist Park, or follow the Braves from afar, understanding the Atlanta Braves coaching staff adds a whole new layer to watching the team. These are the people shaping lineups, refining swings, mapping out pitching plans, and guiding players through the long major league season.
Below is a clear, Atlanta-focused guide to the Braves’ coaching structure, what each role actually does, how it affects the game you see in Cobb County, and how local fans can connect more closely with the team’s coaching culture.
How the Braves Coaching Staff Is Organized
Major League coaching staffs are usually built around a similar core. For the Atlanta Braves, you’ll typically see:
- Manager
- Bench coach
- Hitting coaches
- Pitching coach and bullpen staff
- Base coaches (first and third base)
- Defensive, catching, and analytics-focused coaches
- Support staff (strength, conditioning, training, video, and player development)
Here’s a simple snapshot of how these roles fit together on a game day at Truist Park:
| Role | Primary Focus | Where You’ll See Them on Game Day |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | Overall strategy and decision-making | Dugout, often near home plate side |
| Bench Coach | Game management support, strategy input | Dugout, usually next to the manager |
| Hitting Coaches | Offense, swings, game plan vs. pitchers | Dugout, cages under the stands before and during game |
| Pitching Coach | Pitchers’ plans, mechanics, in-game adjustments | Dugout, mound visits |
| Bullpen Coach | Relief pitchers, warm-up timing | Bullpen beyond the outfield wall |
| First Base Coach | Base running, infield reads | Near first base during Braves’ offensive half-innings |
| Third Base Coach | Sends runners, offensive signals | Near third base during Braves’ offensive half-innings |
| Defensive/Catching | Positioning, catcher development | Dugout, field drills before games |
| Support Staff | Conditioning, treatment, video, scouting | Clubhouse, training room, video room, dugout |
The Manager: The Braves’ On-Field Leader
The manager is the central figure of the Braves coaching staff. If you’re at Truist Park (755 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30339), the manager is the one setting the tone for the dugout and making the final calls on:
- Lineups and batting order
- Pitching changes and bullpen usage
- In-game strategy (bunts, steals, defensive shifts, pinch-hitters)
- Clubhouse culture and communication with players
For Atlanta fans, the manager is often the face you see in postgame media interviews, the person ejected after a heated call, and the voice that reflects the mindset of the team through the ups and downs of a long season.
Bench Coach: The Manager’s Right Hand
The bench coach works side-by-side with the manager and is heavily involved in:
- Reviewing matchups and analytics during the game
- Helping with lineup decisions
- Advising on bullpen and defensive choices
- Stepping in if the manager is unavailable or ejected
From a fan perspective in Atlanta, you typically won’t hear from the bench coach as much as the manager, but this role is critical in keeping the Braves’ in-game decision-making organized and consistent.
Hitting Coaches: Powering the Braves’ Lineup
The Braves are known for power hitting and run production, and the coaching staff behind that offense is deeply involved before and during every game.
What Atlanta’s Hitting Coaches Do
The hitting coach group typically includes a main hitting coach and at least one assistant or “co-hitting” coach. Their responsibilities include:
- Breaking down video of opposing pitchers
- Helping hitters adjust swings and timing
- Developing game plans against specific pitch types or tendencies
- Working in the batting cages under the stands at Truist Park before and during the game
- Managing mental approach at the plate, especially during slumps
If you arrive early to a Braves home game, you might see hitters working with coaches on the field or in the cages along the concourse level behind the dugout area.
Pitching Coach and Bullpen Staff: Running the Braves’ Arms
Pitching has been central to the Braves’ identity across multiple eras, and the modern coaching staff reflects that.
Pitching Coach
The pitching coach oversees:
- Starting pitchers’ routines (between-start work and game plans)
- In-game adjustments (mechanics, pitch selection)
- Mound visits to settle down or refocus a pitcher
- Coordination with the catcher on pitch-calling approach
During a game in Atlanta, when you see a coach walking to the mound (and it’s not the manager), that’s usually the pitching coach.
Bullpen Coach
The bullpen coach operates with the relievers in the bullpen, typically located beyond the outfield fence at Truist Park. They:
- Help relievers warm up effectively and on time
- Maintain communication with the dugout about who’s ready
- Support relievers with pitch selection, routines, and confidence
For Atlanta fans watching from the outfield, you can often see bullpen coaches working hands-on with relievers while the game unfolds.
Base Coaches: First and Third Base Responsibilities
Base coaches are visible every offensive half-inning and vital to how aggressively the Braves play on the bases.
First Base Coach
The first base coach focuses on:
- Helping runners read pickoff moves and pitcher tendencies
- Reminding runners about outfield arms and defensive alignments
- Communicating signs and situational reminders
When a Brave reaches first at Truist Park, you’ll see them chat briefly with the first base coach about the situation.
Third Base Coach
The third base coach carries major responsibility:
- Waving runners home or holding them at third
- Relaying offensive signs (hit-and-run, steal, bunt)
- Helping hitters understand defensive alignments before the pitch
For fans in the left-field or third-base seating sections, you get a clear view of these split-second decisions that can decide a game.
Defensive, Catching, and Analytics-Focused Coaches
Modern MLB staffs, including the Braves’, are more specialized than ever. In Atlanta, you’ll often hear about several focused roles:
Defensive Coaches
These coaches help with:
- Positioning infielders and outfielders based on hitter tendencies
- Pre-game fielding drills and fundamentals
- Coordinating with the analytics group on shifts and alignments
If you arrive early to a game at Truist Park, you’ll see defensive coaches hitting ground balls, fly balls, and running structured routines with infielders and outfielders.
Catching Coach
Given how crucial the catcher is to pitch framing, blocking, and game-calling, a catching coach will:
- Work on footwork, receiving, and throws to bases
- Help with game plans from the catcher’s perspective
- Support catchers in managing the pitching staff’s personalities and preferences
Analytics / Game Planning Support
Many teams, including the Braves, rely on data and video to support coaches:
- Providing reports on opposing hitters and pitchers
- Suggesting defensive alignments
- Highlighting trends like hot zones and pitch usage
Fans rarely see these staff members directly, but their work shapes how coaches make decisions on the field at Truist Park.
Strength, Conditioning, Medical, and Video Staff
While not always listed with the “coaching staff,” these groups are essential and very active in Atlanta on both game and non-game days.
Strength and Conditioning
These staff members:
- Design workout programs to keep players strong and mobile
- Help prevent fatigue and injuries over the 162-game season
- Coordinate with the medical staff on safe return-to-play routines
Their work mostly happens in the clubhouse weight rooms and indoor facilities at Truist Park and at the Braves’ training sites.
Athletic Training and Medical
Trainers and medical professionals:
- Handle injury evaluation and treatment
- Manage rehab programs
- Coordinate with front office and coaching staff on player availability
For fans, this is the team rushing out when a player goes down on the field.
Video and Replay Staff
Video coordinators:
- Provide instant video for hitting and pitching review
- Assist the manager in replay challenge decisions
- Prepare advance scouting video on upcoming opponents
When the Braves are deciding whether to challenge a play at Truist Park, the dugout is in communication with this group.
How the Braves Coaching Staff Connects with Atlanta
The coaching staff’s work extends beyond just game strategy. In and around Atlanta and the greater metro area, their influence shows up in several ways:
- Public appearances and community events: Coaches sometimes take part in Braves-sponsored events, youth clinics, and fan engagements in neighborhoods across the city.
- Ties to local baseball: While most day-to-day focus is on the big-league roster, the organization keeps an eye on talent development from the youth to high school and college levels in Georgia, including in the Atlanta area.
- Spring training and player movement: Although spring training takes place outside Atlanta, the work coaches do there directly shapes the roster that returns to Truist Park for the regular season.
Finding Official Braves Coaching Information in Atlanta
If you’re in Atlanta and want accurate, up-to-date details on the current Braves coaching staff, here are practical options:
Truist Park Ticket Office / Guest Services
755 Battery Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
Main phone (front office/general info is typically routed through the Braves’ main line):
– Phone: 404‑577‑9100 (commonly used main Braves number; menus may change over time)Guest services at the ballpark can often direct you to where to find official printed or digital information about coaches, rosters, and game-day staff.
Official team publications at Truist Park
On game days, check:- Scoreboards and ribbon boards for coach introductions
- Game programs and lineups often listing managers and key coaches
Braves administrative offices (via Truist Park complex)
While walk-in access to team operations is limited, mail and inquiries are typically routed through the Truist Park address above.
If you’re planning a visit to a game, it’s common for fans in Atlanta to:
- Look up the current Braves roster and coaching staff the day of the game
- Use stadium announcements and the scoreboard to match faces to roles
- Follow local sports radio and Atlanta TV sports coverage for interviews and insight from the manager and select coaches
What This Means for You as a Braves Fan in Atlanta
Understanding the Atlanta Braves coaching staff changes how you experience baseball in the city:
- You can follow in-game decisions (pinch-hitters, pitching changes, defensive shifts) with more context.
- You’ll recognize which coach is on the field working with hitters, fielders, or pitchers during warmups at Truist Park.
- Local sports coverage will make more sense when it talks about “adjustments” the staff is making or “philosophies” the coaches bring to the team.
Whether you’re a lifelong Atlantan, a transplant exploring The Battery Atlanta on game day, or a visitor catching your first Braves home stand, knowing who the coaches are—and what they actually do—helps you see just how much strategy and preparation goes into every pitch at Truist Park.
