Jeff Branson named hitting coach; Jeff Livesey joins Major League coaching staff

The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that Jeff Branson has been named Hitting Coach and Jeff Livesey has joined the Major League staff as a Coach.

The 46-year-old Branson joined the Major League staff on December 13, 2012 and spent the 2013 season implementing the club's hitting program along with Hitting Coach Jay Bell.

Branson has spent the past 12 years with the Pittsburgh organization. He served Triple-A Indianapolis as its Hitting Coach for four years (2009-2012) after managing at three different levels of the minor league system for five seasons (2004-2008) and serving as Hitting Coach with Williamsport in 2003.

An infielder during his playing days, Branson was selected by Cincinnati in the second round of the 1998 First-Year Player Draft. He played a total of nine seasons in the big leagues with the Reds (1992-1997), Indians (1997-1998) and Dodgers (2000-2001).

Livesey, 47, has spent the last three seasons working as Pittsburgh's Minor League Hitting Coordinator. He has spent a total of 11 seasons within the Pirates minor league system, working as a Hitting Coach at three different levels and also as Manager for the Gulf Coast League Pirates in 2005. Jeff returned to the Pirates in 2011 after spending five seasons as a coach in Japan.