Orioles announce athletic training staff changes

The Baltimore Orioles have named Brian Ebel as the club's Head Athletic Trainer, and Mark Shires and Pat Wesley as Assistant Athletic Trainers. Ebel spent the last 21 seasons as the Assistant Athletic Trainer under former Head Athletic Trainer Richie Bancells. He is just the fourth Head Athletic Trainer in Orioles history since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1954.

The 2018 season will mark Ebel's 34th year with the Orioles organization. He began his career in 1985 at the age of 19 when he served as the Head Athletic Trainer for the rookie league Bluefield Orioles during summer breaks from college. He then moved up to Class-A Erie (1988), and Double-A Hagerstown (1989-91), and served as the Minor League Medical Coordinator (1992-1996) before being named the Orioles Assistant Athletic Trainer in October of 1996.

Ebel, 51, is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. He is an active member of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS), and served on their Executive Board as the American League Assistant Athletic Trainer Representative from 1999-2005. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association, and serves on Major League Baseball's steering committee for Electronic Medical Records, MLB's Concussion committee, and MLB's Medical Advisory Board (2003-2017).

Ebel received his 20-year service award as a Major League Athletic Trainer by PBATS in 2016. Following the 2011 season, PBATS named Ebel and Bancells the Major League Baseball Athletic Training Staff of the Year. In 2007, he was the athletic trainer for the American League All-Star team in San Francisco. He was also selected as the athletic trainer for the Major League Baseball All-Star Tour of Taiwan following the 2011 season.

Shires, 41, enters his 20th season as an Athletic Trainer in the Orioles organization. He spent the previous 11 years as the Athletic Trainer for Triple-A Norfolk, and previously spent time at Bowie (2004-06), Frederick (2001-03), Delmarva (2000), and in the Gulf Coast League (1999). He was twice named the International League Athletic Trainer of the Year (2009 & 2011), and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society. Shires grew up in Crofton, MD and attended Archbishop Spalding in Severn, MD. He received a degree in Athletic Training from West Chester University (PA) and completed his master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania in 2004.

Wesley, 40, will begin his 15th season as an Athletic Trainer in the Orioles organization, having spent the previous three seasons with Bowie. Prior to his tenure with the Baysox, he worked with Frederick (2009-14), Delmarva (2007-08), Aberdeen (2005-06), and Bluefield (2004). While with Delmarva, he was named the South Atlantic League Trainer of the Year in back-to-back years. He also received Carolina League Athletic Trainer of the Year honors in 2013. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from McKendree University (IL).

In addition, the Orioles have named Chris Poole as the athletic trainer for Triple-A Norfolk. All other minor league trainers will move up one level from their previous post including Brian Guzman to Double-A Bowie, Marty Brinker to Class A-Advanced Frederick, Adrian Gonzalez to Class-A Delmarva, and Gary Smith to Short-Season A Aberdeen. Dave Walker (Medical Coordinator), Chris Correnti (Athletic Trainer, Pitching Performance), Manny Lopez (Latin American Medical Coordinator), and Ludovino Alonza Marte (DSL Athletic Trainer) will also all return to their respective positions in 2018.