Orioles’ coaching changes begin: Hitting coaches Joseph, Johnson won’t be back; Sanders given permission to look elsewhere

With Monday’s hiring of Craig Albernaz as the Orioles’ new manager, changes to the coaching staff have begun.

According to an industry source, assistant hitting coaches Tommy Joseph and Sherman Johnson will not be back with the team, and first base coach Anthony Sanders has been given permission to talk with other teams.

According to another source, Johnson will be heading to the Chicago White Sox to work under another former Orioles co-hitting coach, Ryan Fuller.

Joseph was in his first season with the Orioles while Johnson worked with the major league club in 2025 after two seasons in the minor leagues. They both worked under hitting coach Cody Asche, who remains for now.

Sanders, the longest tenured coach, had been with the Orioles since 2020.

The changes for the coaching staff might not be the last ones. The hitting coaches came under criticism after the team hit just .235, tied for sixth worst in the majors.

There’s been no decision made on Tony Mansolino, who replaced Brandon Hyde as manager on May 17^th, but he isn’t expected to return, according to another source.

The other coaches on the staff were pitching coach Drew French, assistant pitching coach Ryan Klimek, bullpen coach Mitch Plassmeyer, third base coach Buck Britton, bench coach Robinson Chirinos, development coach Grant Anders, and senior advisor John Mabry.

Plassmeyer began the season as the assistant pitching coach, but he was moved to the bullpen to replace Tim Cossins, who was replaced along with Hyde. Britton began the season as major league coach but moved to third base to replace Mansolino. Mabry joined the team in early June.

News of the moves on Johnson and Joseph were first reported by The Baltimore Banner. News on Sanders was first reported by SNY.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.