The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) have named Tim Laker as assistant hitting coach, as announced by D-backs Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Hazen and Manager Torey Lovullo.
Laker, 47, enters his first season in the D-backs' organization and his first as a coach at the Major-League level. He spent 2016 as the hitting coach with Double-A Akron in the Indians' organization after spending the previous 5 in the White Sox' system as a Minor League hitting instructor (2015), hitting coordinator (2012-14) and hitting coach for Triple-A Charlotte (2011). The Encino, Calif., native was the manager of Double-A West Tennessee in the Mariners organization in 2010 after beginning his career in Cleveland's system as the catching coordinator (2008-09) and manager of Short-Season A Mahoning Valley (2007).
 
Laker played professionally for 19 seasons, including parts of 11 seasons in the Majors, hitting .226 with 28 doubles, 11 home runs and 79 RBI in 282 games with Montreal (1992-95), Baltimore (1997), Tampa Bay (1998, 2005), Pittsburgh (1998-1999) and Cleveland (2001-06).