Asche (asst. hitting coach), Sanders (first base) among Tigers' coaching hires

DETROIT -- Next season’s Tigers coaching staff will have a little more of an Orioles vibe. The team on Wednesday announced manager A.J. Hinch’s coaching staff for 2026, including former Baltimore coaches Anthony Sanders and Cody Asche, along with a series of front-office hires and promotions.

Sanders, who spent the past six seasons as the Orioles’ first-base coach, will take the same role with the Tigers. The former Blue Jays and Mariners outfielder also has a background in outfield instruction, having worked for the Rockies as their outfield and baserunning coordinator before joining the O’s staff. The 51-year-old replaces Anthony Iapoce, who spent the past two seasons as Detroit’s first-base coach.

Asche, an assistant hitting coach for the Orioles this past season following two years as the team’s offensive strategy coach, joins the Tigers as assistant hitting coach under Michael Brdar. The 35-year-old, who spent parts of five seasons in the Majors as a third baseman and an outfielder with the Phillies and White Sox, replaces Keith Beauregard.

Both coaches were available at season’s end during the Orioles’ managerial search, which ultimately led to former Double-A Erie catcher and Guardians coach Craig Albernaz. Both Sanders and Asche were hired in Baltimore under Brandon Hyde, who was dismissed as Orioles manager in May.

The Tigers also promoted Billy Boyer to Major League quality coach after he spent this past season as Minor League field coordinator and infield coordinator in Detroit’s farm system. He replaces Gary Jones, who spent four seasons on Hinch’s staff in a variety of roles.

The rest of the coaching staff remains intact, including pitching coach Chris Fetter and assistants Robin Lund and Juan Nieves, third-base coach Joey Cora, bench coach George Lombard, assistant hitting coach Lance Zawadzki and catching coach Ryan Sienko. The moves are the first changes to the Tigers’ coaching staff since before the 2024 season.

The team also announced a series of front-office moves.

• Alex Smith has been hired for a newly-created position as vice president of baseball strategy, overseeing baseball strategy, pro scouting and acquisitions and advance scouting. He spent 11 seasons with the Cubs in on- and off-field roles -- including as a baseball operations coordinator, assistant director of Major League data and development and, most recently, Major League strategy coach. His Cubs tenure included time working with current Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg.
• Dr. Georgia Giblin was promoted from vice president of baseball performance science to vice president of health and performance, part of a more comprehensive approach to player health and development. She has spent five years in the Tigers’ organization, starting as a post-doctorate fellow through the University of Michigan.
• Brad Ciolek has been hired as director of international scouting after working with the Nationals as their senior director of amateur scouting for the past two years. Tom Moore, the Tigers’ international operations director, will move into a senior advisor role for his 21st season in the organization and oversee the construction project for the Tigers’ Dominican academy.
• Theo Hooper has been hired as assistant director of amateur scouting after four years as a Major League staff assistant for the Rangers.
• Christian Hook has been promoted to director of pitching evaluation for his fifth year in the organization.