A month after he was introduced as Orioles manager, Brandon Hyde has nearly completed the task of rounding out his coaching staff. A source confirmed Tuesday that veteran pitching coach Doug Brocail has been hired to replace Roger McDowell, who had served in the same capacity since November 2016.
The Athletic was the first to report the hiring, which provides general executive and vice president Mike Elias another tie to his days with the Astros. Brocail spent six years alongside Elias in Houston, including 2011-13 as pitching coach on the big league staff. The 51-year-old Brocail had been the Rangers' pitching coach for the past three seasons.
In Baltimore, Brocail will inherit a pitching staff that was among the Majors' worst last year and a rotation that could feature potential trade chips as the season presses on, including Dylan Bundy, Andrew Cashner and Alex Cobb. Brocail's hurlers fared just slightly better in Texas' hitter-friendly environment; he was not retained by new manager Chris Woodward after the Rangers pitched to a 4.92 ERA that ranked 28th in the Majors in 2018.
A first-round Draft pick by San Diego in 1986, Brocail went 52-48 with a 4.00 ERA across 15 big league seasons with the Padres, Astros, Tigers and Rangers, mostly as a reliever. His addition leaves five of the seven spots on Hyde's staff filled.
In addition to Brocail, sources confirmed the Orioles have also brought on Tim Cossins, Jose Flores, Don Long and Arnie Beyeler in roles still unclear. This is the second time Hyde has hired Flores and Cossins, who previously held player-development positions with the Cubs. Flores left Chicago to become the Phillies' first-base coach and infield instructor last season.
Long comes from the Reds, where he served as hitting coach from 2013-18. Beyeler is a longtime Minor League manager who most recently piloted the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans from 2016-18. He won a World Series ring as the Red Sox first-base coach in 2013.
The Orioles don't plan to announce any of the hirings until Hyde's staff is complete.