Orioles Announce Spring Training Guest Coaches

The Orioles today announced that they have invited eight former players to serve as guest coaches at Major League Spring Training in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes ROBINSON CHIRINOS, J.J. HARDY, ADAM JONES, BEN McDONALD, SCOTT McGREGOR, EDDIE MURRAY, BRIAN ROBERTS, and MATT WIETERS. Murray is an Orioles Legend and National Baseball Hall of Famer, and he, along with Hardy, McGregor, and Roberts, are members of the Orioles Hall of Fame. Together, the guest coaches have 22 All-Star selections, 12 Gold Gloves, and five Silver Slugger Awards. A complete list of guest coaches and dates is below: 

Chirinos, a catcher, appeared in 67 games for the Orioles in his lone season with the team in 2022, marking the final season of his 11-year Major League career. Orioles Manager BRANDON HYDE has credited Chirinos with being instrumental in creating the winning culture that helped the Orioles post a 31-win improvement from 2021 to 2022, followed by a 101-win season and return to the playoffs in 2023. Chirinos played for the Venezuela national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic in 2023 and 2017, and was selected to participate in MLB’s 2018 Japan All-Star Series.

After being acquired by the Orioles from the Twins in 2011, Hardy went on to spend his final seven Major League seasons (2011-17) in Baltimore, appearing in 889 total games with the O’s and slashing .252/.293/.398 with 107 home runs and 385 RBI. He ranks second in home runs among Orioles shortstops, trailing only Cal Ripken, Jr. (345). As an Oriole, Hardy was a three-time Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop (2012-2014), Silver Slugger Award winner (2013), and appeared as a starter in the 2013 All-Star Game. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2018.

Jones played 11 of his 14 Major League seasons with Baltimore from 2008-18, primarily as a center fielder. A five-time All-Star, six-time Heart and Hustle Award nominee, four-time Gold Glove Award winner, three-time Most Valuable Oriole, and 2013 Silver Slugger, he anchored the resurgent Orioles teams that won more games than any other American League club from 2012-16, including an AL East title in 2014 and Wild Card berths in 2012 and 2016. He ranks among the club's overall career leaders in hits (4^th, 1,781), total bases (4^th, 2,929), runs scored (5^th, 875), home runs (5^th, 263), extra-base hits (5^th, 595), RBI (5^th, 866), doubles (7^th, 305), games played (8^th, 1,613), and triples (T-10^th, 27). Jones is the all-time home run leader at Oriole Park with 146 long balls. In 2023, he signed a ceremonial contract to officially retire from baseball as an Oriole.

McDonald, a right-handed pitcher, spent seven of his nine Major League seasons with the Orioles from 1989-95. He was selected by the Orioles in the 1989 First-Year Player Draft as the first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history. He threw a four-hit shutout in his first career start and went on to win 40 games over three years and threw more than 200 innings in a season three times. He finished his career with an overall record of 78-70, including 58-58 with the O’s. In addition to his Major League and collegiate baseball career, McDonald also won a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics, picking up two wins for Team USA. In 2008, he was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame. McDonald currently serves as a color analyst for the Orioles on MASN and Louisiana State University Baseball, his alma mater. He joined the Orioles’ broadcast team full-time in 2018. He also serves as a color analyst for ESPN and the SEC Network, including covering the Men’s College World Series.

McGregor, a left-handed pitcher, played his entire Major League career with the Orioles from 1976-88. In 1981, he was selected to the American League All-Star team. McGregor finished his career with an overall record of 138-108, recording a 20-win season in 1980 and throwing over 200 innings in a season six times. In Game 5 of the 1983 World Series, he shut out the Phillies in a complete game to end the series, four games to one, leading Baltimore to their third World Series championship. In six career Postseason starts, he pitched to a 1.63 ERA (9 ER/49.2 IP), the eighth-best mark of all time (min. 40.0 IP). McGregor was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1990, and spent 18 years as a minor league pitching coach and coordinator with the Orioles from 2002-19.

Murray played 12½ of his 21 seasons with the Orioles and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2003. He spent his first 12 years with the Orioles and rejoined the team in 1996, becoming the 15^th player to reach the 500-home run plateau. Murray, Hank Aaron, Miguel Cabrera, Willie Mays, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols, and Alex Rodriguez are the only players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits. A model of consistency, he drove in at least 75 runs in each of his first 20 Major League seasons, a feat unmatched. He has more RBI than any switch-hitter in modern-day history and ranks 10^th all-time in RBI. Murray was named to eight All-Star teams, seven as an Oriole, and batted .300 or better seven times, including five times as an Oriole. He won the Orioles’ “triple crown” five times, leading the club in average, homers, and RBI. He played at least 150 games in 16 seasons, the second most in history behind Pete Rose. He also appeared in 2,413 games as a first baseman, the most by a first baseman in Major League History. Murray broke in as the American League Rookie of the Year in 1977. He was named Most Valuable Oriole seven times (twice sharing the award with Ripken). He currently serves as a Special Advisor and Community Liaison for the Orioles.

Roberts played 13 seasons with the Orioles from 2001-13, compiling a .278 batting average and 1,452 hits. He ranks first in Orioles history as a second baseman in nearly all major offensive statistical categories. Roberts is also among the club’s overall career leaders in stolen bases (2^nd, 278), doubles (4^th, 351), runs (6^th, 810), triples (6^th, 35), extra-base hits (7^th, 478), walks (7^th, 581), hits (9^th), at-bats (10^th, 5,214), and total bases (10^th, 2,149). Drafted by Baltimore in the first round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft (No. 50 overall), Roberts made his debut with the Orioles on June 14, 2001. He appeared in 51 games at shortstop his first season with the O’s before making the transition to second base the following year. He made his first Opening Day roster in 2004, starting at second base. He led the O’s in hitting (.314) in 2005 and led the team in stolen bases six different times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009), tying for the American League lead in 2007 with 50 stolen bases. Roberts was a two-time All-Star (2005 and 2007), two-time Most Valuable Oriole (2005 and 2009), and was also named AL Player of the Month in April of 2005. In 2018, he was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame. He currently serves as a Community Ambassador for the Orioles.

Wieters played eight of his 12 Major League seasons with the Orioles from 2009-2016 after being selected by Baltimore with the fifth overall pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Georgia Institute of Technology. Throughout his career, he went on to win two Gold Glove Awards and was named to four AllStar Games. He is among the club's career leaders for catchers in doubles (2^nd, 157), home runs (3^rd, 117), RBI (3^rd, 437), runs (3^rd, 355), and games played (4^th, 882). In 2008, he was named the Orioles Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year, Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, and was later ranked as Baltimore’s top prospect heading into the 2009 season.

Orioles pitchers and catchers held their first workout on Thursday, February 15, while the first full-squad workout is scheduled for Tuesday, February 20. The Orioles are slated to open 2024 Grapefruit League play at home on Saturday, February 24, against the Boston Red Sox.