Mancini endorses Trumbo as coach, news on Trimble injury

The hitting voices in Trey Mancini's head are changing again.

The Orioles didn't retain coach Don Long after three seasons. Long had replaced Scott Coolbaugh, who was hired in December 2014 and lasted four seasons.

Assistant hitting coach José Hernández is moving into a new role on manager Brandon Hyde's staff.

The shuffling has led to the Orioles hiring co-hitting coaches, bringing Ryan Fuller from Double-A Bowie and going outside the organization for Matt Borgschulte.

Mancini has contacted Fuller and Borgschulte, getting a quick start on developing a relationship with them. He wanted to share the work he's doing with former Oriole Mark Trumbo at ProSwingRX in Anaheim.

"I sent them a video of what I've been working on already and they love it," Mancini said last week.

"Me doing this kind of coincides with what's been taught. I've always been somebody who didn't like to overanalyze things or look at a lot of video, but I just think a lot of factors just combined to make me use video more and really analyze my swing a lot more. I always thought of it as overthinking, but it's really not and it's a valuable tool. I'm very excited about it."

Trumbo offered to meet with Mancini and find ways to optimize the first baseman's offensive capabilities, and especially to reduce the ground balls. Improve the solid contact. Get more out of his natural power.

Understanding the analytical data and use of video, along with what he learned during 10 seasons in the majors - leaving with 218 home runs, two All-Star appearances and a Silver Slugger Award - have made Trumbo solid coaching material.

Teammates have said so for years, predicting a future in coaching or as a manager, and I've heard that a few clubs reached out to him.

Trumbo enjoys breaking down a hitter's strengths and weaknesses and tackling the issues.

"I don't know of anything specifically or what role he'd want," Mancini said, "but I think the world of him and I know he'll be around the game for a while."

* The Orioles passed along news yesterday that outfielder Reed Trimble underwent a left shoulder labral repair last week and his return to play is an estimated six to nine months.

Trimble, 21, was a supplemental second-round pick this year out of the University of Southern Mississippi, the Orioles' third selection in the draft behind outfielder Colton Cowser and second baseman Connor Norby. He received an $800,000 underslot signing bonus after batting .345/.414/.638 in his second collegiate season, with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs that tied for the Division I lead. Trimble qualified for the draft and could forgo his sophomore year.

The switch-hitter went 5-for-15 with a double, two RBIs, three walks and two stolen bases in six games in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and 11-for-65 (.169) with a double, six RBIs, nine walks and a .461 OPS in 16 games with Single-A Delmarva.

The surgery was performed on Trimble's non-throwing shoulder, but it's going to keep his professional career on hold for a significant period.

MLBPipeline.com ranks Trimble as the No. 21 prospect in the system, with an estimated arrival in the majors in 2024. The outlet notes that he's an above-average runner with 20/20 potential.

The Orioles didn't share more details of the injury. Trimble was part of the fall instructional camp roster in Sarasota, Fla.