Orioles' 2024 coaching staff includes Plassmeyer promotion to assistant pitching coach

The Orioles announced another new addition to their 2024 coaching staff, though he comes from within the organization.

Mitch Plassmeyer, 28, has been promoted from minor league pitching coordinator to major league assistant pitching coach. He replaces Darren Holmes, who was hired as the Cubs bullpen coach.

Plassmeyer was minor league pitching coordinator since May 2022. He had worked at the University of Missouri-Columbia as pitching coach and director of player development–baseball after beginning his coaching career at Premier Pitching and Performance (P3) in Missouri.

Drew French, 39, was named pitching coach earlier in the offseason after spending the last three seasons as Braves bullpen coach. He replaces Chris Holt, who remains director of pitching.

The other change is Grant Anders’ role as major league development coach.

Anders, 27, was promoted from major league player development analyst, a role he held since December 2021. He joined the Orioles in November 2019 as Double-A Bowie’s development coach and served in that capacity through the 2021 season.

Prior to joining the Orioles, Anders spent the 2019 season as a baseball operations trainee with the Reds and the 2017-18 seasons as the Royals' minor league video intern.

The rest of manager Brandon Hyde’s staff stays the same: Ryan Fuller and Matt Borgschulte as co-hitting coaches, Tim Cossins as major league field coordinator/catching instructor, Fredi González as bench coach, Tony Mansolino as third base coach, Anthony Sanders as first base coach, José Hernández as major league coach, and Cody Asche as offensive strategy coach. Mansolino works with the infielders and Sanders the outfielders.

Here’s more from the team’s press release:

The major league training staff will once again be led by Brian Ebel, who returns for his seventh season as the Orioles head athletic trainer and 40^th year with the organization. Mark Shires, entering his 26^th year with the organization, and Patrick Wesley, entering his 21^st, return for their seventh seasons as assistant athletic trainers, while Chris Poole returns for his third season as assistant to the head athletic trainer and 12^th in the organization.

Kyle Corrick enters his sixth year in the organization and third as physical therapist, while Aquiles Torrealba enters his second season as massage therapist. Nick White returns for his third season as head of strength and performance, along with strength and conditioning coach Trey Wiedman (third season) and assistant strength and conditioning coach Carlos González (second season). Rogelio Realzola returns as sports performance analyst.

Manager of major league strategy Bill Wilkes and manager of major league video/run creation strategist Ben Sussman-Hyde reprise their roles. Sam Berk has been promoted from advance scouting fellow to advance scouting analyst. All three will report to director of baseball strategy Brendan Fournie.

Ben Carhart (fifth season) and Joel “Yogi” Polanco (sixth season) serve as bullpen catchers. Rubén Francisca serves as batting practice pitcher.