Latest on Orioles' coaching searches

The Orioles remain in the market for a new hitting coach and a replacement for José Hernández as assistant hitting coach as he moves into a different role, and they've progressed to the point of conducting multiple interviews.

Many of the exterior dominos might need to fall with so many jobs open throughout baseball.

I've heard that the Orioles interviewed "several people" from other teams, as well as coaches who currently are free agents trying to land with a new club, which doesn't require permission.

None of the names have leaked so far, which is how the Orioles are hoping to keep it.

The interview list also includes internal candidates, as previously reported. The Orioles are expected to divide the hires among one outsider and one of their young hitting coaches from the minors.

Tim Gibbons is the hitting coach at Triple-A Norfolk and Ryan Fuller is at Double-A Bowie. The Orioles must find replacements for Tom Eller at high Single-A Aberdeen and Patrick Jones at low Single-A Delmarva.

The Orioles could go with an arrangement that's more like having two equal hitting coaches rather than an assistant. It will depend on the hires. The structure right now is TBD.

Hernández has been a major league coach and assistant hitting coach with the Orioles after a lengthy tenure in their minor league system. I'm hearing that he's going to be a jack-of-all-trades in 2022, assisting with basically everything.

Hitting coach Don Long is the only departure from the 2021 coaching staff. Pitching coach Chris Holt, assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes, major league coach Fredi González, major league field coordinator/catching instructor Tim Cossins, first base coach/outfielder instructor Anthony Sanders and third base coach/infield instructor Tony Mansolino are returning next year.

However, as I mentioned before, some of the in-game duties could shift.

A final decision hasn't been made, but I've heard from multiple sources that Holmes is likely to relocate from the bullpen to the dugout, with Cossins going to the bullpen. Nothing is set in stone at this stage of the offseason, but that's the expectation.

The idea is to have Holt and Holmes working more closely during games. Holmes is more of a "counselor type," as one person put it. Holt's major strengths are in analytics, information, pitch design. It would seem to make sense to keep them together in the dugout and broaden Holmes' reach beyond the relievers.

Cossins' catching background can be an asset in the 'pen.

The Orioles will continue to discuss the design of the staff over the next few weeks.

The club also is going to implement analyst positions into the major league coaching staff and traveling party, as previously reported. Consider this another reminder.

Bowie manager Buck Britton is expected to replace Gary Kendall at Norfolk, opening a spot with the organization's second-highest affiliate. The Orioles also must replace Tides pitching coach Kennie Steenstra and Rookie-level Florida Complex League manager Alan Mills.

There are about seven or eight jobs open in the minors and some hires already have been made. The Orioles prefer to wait until the entire staff is set to make an announcement.

The activity around baseball is brisk despite the traditional quiet period during the World Series.

The Padres hired Bob Melvin as manager after he spent more than a decade with the Athletics. The Cardinals named Oliver Marmol as their new manager. The Rangers are hiring former Giants hitting coach Donnie Ecker as bench coach. The Diamondbacks hired former Reds assistant hitting coach Joe Mather as hitting coach and Jeff Banister as bench coach. The Cubs hired Rays minor league hitting coordinator Greg Brown as hitting coach.

David Popkins, who worked in the Dodgers system, is the Twins' new hitting coach. The Nationals hired Eric Young Jr. as first base coach. Red Sox hitting coach Tim Hyers is exploring other options. The Padres hired Guardians assistant pitching coach Ruben Niebla as their pitching coach. The Rockies promoted bullpen coach Darryl Scott to pitching coach. Former Orioles third base coach Bobby Dickerson returned to the Phillies as infield instructor.

Among other moves.

Meanwhile, outfielder Yusniel Diaz remains day-to-day with the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League due to a sore left shoulder. Shutting him down remains a possible outcome.

Diaz injured the shoulder on Oct. 27 while swinging at a pitch. He appeared in seven games and went 6-for-27 with three doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, seven walks, 10 strikeouts and seven runs scored.

The Orioles are being cautious with Diaz since it's the AFL. They took the same approach with outfielder Kyle Stowers, who was shut down after three games with a minor injury to his lower back.