ATLANTA -- The Braves completed the construction of Walt Weiss’ coaching staff with the addition of a few more coaches, including Tommy Watkins, who had spent the past 26 seasons as a player or coach within the Twins’ organization.
While Watkins will be making a change, Eddie Pérez will be extending his long tenure with the Braves, as he will remain in his role as a Major League coach. Pérez has filled multiple roles on Atlanta’s coaching staff going back to 2007. Minus a few years playing for Cleveland and Milwaukee, the beloved Venezuelan coach has been within Atlanta’s organization since signing as an international free agent in 1986.
Pérez and hitting coach Tim Hyers will be the only holdovers for Weiss, who was named Atlanta’s new manager last week. Hyers signed a two-year deal before beginning his current role this past season. Each of these three worked together on former Braves skipper Brian Snitker’s staff in 2025.
The Braves hired Tony Mansolino to serve as their third-base coach last week. But the opportunity to hire Watkins, led to the decision to have Mansolino instead serve as Weiss’ bench coach.
Watkins, 45, spent the past seven seasons serving as first-base coach (2019-21) and third-base coach (2022-25) for Minnesota.
The Braves also announced Dustin Garneau (catching coach), Darnell Coles (assistant hitting coach) and Tony Diaz (Major League coach) have joined the staff.
Garneau was the Rockies’ bullpen coach this past season and was a catcher with the Rockies in 2015 and '16 when Weiss was their manager. Coles has served as the hitting coach for the Nationals (2022-25), D-backs (2019-21) and Brewers (2015-18). Diaz has previously served as a coach with Minnesota and Colorado.
The Braves coaching staff consists of:
Manager: Walt Weiss
Bench Coach: Tony Mansolino
Pitching Coach: Jeremy Hefner
Bullpen Coach: J.P. Martinez
Hitting Coach: Tim Hyers
Assistant Hitting Coach: Darnell Coles
Catching Coach: Dustin Garneau
First Base Coach: Antoan Richardson
Third Base Coach: Tommy Watkins
Major League Coach: Tony Diaz
Major League Coach: Eddie Pérez
The additions of Hefner, Richardson, Mansolino and Martinez were announced last week.