Mabry joins Orioles' coaching staff as senior advisor

BALTIMORE -- A new veteran voice is being added to the Orioles’ coaching staff for the remainder of the 2025 season.

On Friday, Baltimore announced the hiring of John Mabry as senior advisor to the Major League coaching staff. The 54-year-old, who is expected to join the team for Sunday’s series finale vs. the White Sox at Camden Yards, will advise and report to interim manager Tony Mansolino.

The rest of the O’s coaches will remain with the team for the rest of the season.

Mabry had a 14-year MLB playing career as an outfielder, featuring stints with the Cardinals (1994-98, 2001 and ‘04-05), Mariners (1999-2000, ‘03), Padres (2000), Phillies (‘02), A’s (‘02), Cubs (‘06) and Rockies (‘07). He began his big league coaching career in 2012, when he joined St. Louis’ staff as assistant hitting coach.

Prior to the 2013 season, the Cards promoted Mabry to hitting coach, a job he held until July 2018. He spent the ‘20-22 seasons as a Major League coach on the Royals’ staff, then joined the Marlins, serving as assistant hitting coach in ‘23 and hitting coach in ‘24. He was dismissed by Miami at the end of last season.

The Orioles’ coaching staff has mostly lacked experience since the dismissal of manager Brandon Hyde on May 17. Mansolino, who was previously the third-base coach, had never been a big league skipper before, while bench coach Robinson Chirinos and Major League coach Buck Britton are both first-time big league coaches this season and Drew French is in only his second year as an MLB pitching coach.

“Any time you get a guy that’s played that long in the big leagues, that has coached that long in the big leagues, that has been kind of a part of different eras of the big leagues now and kind of survived and had the longevity that he has, it’s definitely a guy that has a lot of wisdom and is going to be a great resource for us in all areas,” Mansolino said of Mabry. “So I think, directly, he’s going to assist me, but I also envision him assisting in all areas. ...

“If he has any thoughts on anything else, we’re going to take it in. So a lot of wisdom with him. Excited about him. Have talked to him a couple times, have done a lot of background on him and [he] checks a lot of boxes.”

Mansolino stressed the addition of Mabry wasn’t a decision made by solely him or general manager Mike Elias, but by the entirety of the coaching staff.

“Everybody was included in this. This isn’t just Mike. This isn’t just me. This is the whole staff, we talked about it and said, ‘Hey man, let’s do this,’” Mansolino said. “It made me feel really good about the room, made me feel really good about the coaches and myself and Mike and everybody willing to be secure and confident in the culture and what we have in there to bring in an outside voice and somebody like John.

“I think this is a huge positive for us, and I think it’s kind of a feather in the cap of that coaches’ room in a lot of ways.”

Mabry has a few ties to players currently on the Orioles’ 26-man roster.

Infielder Emmanuel Rivera played 96 games for the Marlins last season, when Mabry was hitting coach. First baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn played 193 games for the Royals during Mabry’s time on Kansas City’s staff from 2020-22.

"I’m excited about that. I think Mabry can bring a lot to this clubhouse," O'Hearn said. "Played in the big leagues for a long time, been on a lot of teams, good teams, bad teams. I feel like he’s seen it all. Just a really good coach for guys to look to, to learn from. He can relate to pretty much everybody in this room, it seems like. Very happy to have him here.

"He means a lot to me, meant a lot to me in Kansas City. Kept me sane on the bench there for a couple years. Looking forward to seeing him."

Former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday’s tenure with the Cardinals overlapped with Mabry’s time on the staff from 2012-16. Now, Mabry will help coach Jackson Holliday, Matt’s son who is solidifying his role as the O’s everyday second baseman this year.

Mabry was born in Wilmington, Del., but he later attended Bohemia Manor High School in Chesapeake City, Md. He went on to play baseball at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.