Rays hire Corey Dickerson as first-base coach

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays turned to a recently retired player and familiar face to fill the open spot on their Major League staff, hiring Corey Dickerson as their first-base coach on Monday.

Dickerson, who played for the Rays from 2016-17 during his 11-year career, will also work with Tampa Bay’s outfielders and oversee the club’s baserunning. He is replacing former first-base coach Michael Johns, who left the Rays to become Blake Butera’s bench coach with the Nationals.

“I am thrilled to congratulate and welcome Corey to serve as our first-base coach,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said in a statement. “I look forward to him bringing his experience and expertise to the Major League club.”

Dickerson, 36, spent 2025 serving as the head coach at Jackson (Miss.) Academy. The Mississippi native officially retired as a player in 2024 after playing for eight teams from 2013-23 during an accomplished career in which he hit .280/.323/.476 with 136 home runs and 469 RBIs over 1,083 games.

Dickerson earned his only career All-Star nod with the Rays in 2017, when he slashed .282/.325/.490 with 27 homers and 62 RBIs. He was traded to the Pirates in February 2018 for Daniel Hudson and Tristan Gray, and he went on to bat .300 while winning a Gold Glove Award for his play in left field.

Dickerson will be the eighth Major League coach in Rays history who previously played for the franchise. The others include Cash and Ozzie Timmons, who rejoined the big league staff last month when he was hired as assistant hitting coach, as well as Paul Hoover, Matt Quatraro, Rocco Baldelli, Dave Martinez and Wade Boggs.