Orioles coaching staff remains intact for 2016

The Orioles will bring back their entire coaching staff for the 2016 season.

Bench coach John Russell, pitching coach Dave Wallace, bullpen coach Dom Chiti, hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh, third base coach Bobby Dickerson, first base coach Wayne Kirby and assistant hitting coach Einar Diaz have signed contracts. An announcement should come later this week.

I reported on Friday that Russell agreed to terms last month on a two-year deal. The contracts of the other coaches expired after the final game.

Russell was hired as third base coach prior to the 2011 season before switching roles with bench coach Willie Randolph. He previously served as the Pirates' manager for three seasons.

The Orioles hired Wallace and Chiti from the Braves organization before the 2014 season. Wallace served as Atlanta's minor league pitching coordinator and Chiti served as a special assistant.

Wallace beat out Carl Willis, Andy Hawkins and Rich Dubee, who each interviewed with the Orioles after former pitching coach Rick Adair took a personal leave of absence in August 2013. Adair is no longer in baseball.

Coolbaugh was hired last winter to replace Jim Presley as hitting coach. Presley took a leave of absence and no longer is in the organization.

Coolbaugh had previously worked as a hitting coach for the Rangers and was their minor league hitting coordinator in 2014.

Dickerson just completed his third season on the Orioles coaching staff after spending three years as minor league infield coordinator.

Kirby was hired as first base coach and outfield instructor in November 2010 after five seasons as the Rangers' minor league outfielder and baserunning coordinator.

The Orioles added Diaz on April 1, 2013, taking advantage of a new rule in Major League Baseball allowing teams to carry a seventh coach. He was supposed to serve as field coach at Double-A Bowie.

Diaz assists Coolbaugh and also throws batting practice.

This is the first season that the Orioles coaching staff will go unchanged since manager Buck Showalter was hired in July 2010.