The winter meetings, where many players are anticipated to sign, will take place after the non-tender deadline and several early offseason dates. However, pitching coach Chris Holt was elevated to the position of organization director of pitching, leaving a void in Brandon Hyde’s coaching staff.
It was first reported by Roch Kubatko of MASN that the position had been filled. Drew French, the bullpen coach for the Atlanta Braves, is joining the Orioles to serve as pitching coach. This summer, French becomes the third Braves coach to depart for an AL franchise.
Prior to the 2021 season, French worked as the bullpen coach for the Braves, helping the team win a World Series. French managed the Braves bullpen for three seasons during which time their combined record was 3.61 ERA and 3.77 FIP, ranking eighth and fourth in the majors, respectively.
From 2016 to 2020, French was employed by the Astros, where he collaborated alongside executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias as well as Holt. It’s interesting to note that French will take over as pitching coach for the Astros affiliates for three consecutive seasons from 2016 to 2018, marking his fourth consecutive appointment after Holt.
French was the pitching coach for Houston’s Triple A squad in 2019; the team was the