Coaching vet Iapoce named Reds' assistant hitting coach

The Reds on Wednesday announced one new hire to manager Terry Francona's coaching staff, naming Anthony Iapoce as the club's assistant hitting coach.

Iapoce, 53, enters his 10th season on a Major League coaching staff, having most recently served as the Astros' assistant hitting coach during the 2026 campaign. Under his guidance, Houston led Major League Baseball with 226 home runs, its fifth-most in a single season in franchise history. Before that, he spent the previous 2 seasons as the first base coach for the Detroit Tigers, helping the club reach the Postseason in both years.

Iapoce managed the Tigers' Triple-A Toledo affiliate in 2023, marking his first professional managerial role. Before spending the 2022 season as the Red Sox' senior hitting coordinator, he served as the Major League hitting coach for both the Texas Rangers (2016-18) and Chicago Cubs (2019-21). Iapoce oversaw the Cubs' minor league hitting program as a Special Assistant to the General Manager from 2013-15, following a 3-year stint as the Blue Jays' hitting coordinator (2010-12).

Originally selected by Milwaukee in the 33rd round of the 1994 MLB Draft, Iapoce played in parts of 9 Minor League seasons as an outfielder in the Brewers (1994-2000) and Marlins (2002-03) organizations. He currently resides in Williston Park, N.Y.