The Pirates on Thursday announced Manager Don Kelly’s complete 2026 Major League coaching staff. The announcement was made by Kelly and General Manager Ben Cherington as five newcomers are welcomed to the dugout this season with nine returning coaches.
Kristopher Negrón will serve as Don Kelly’s Bench Coach after spending the 2025 season as the Third Base Coach for the AL West champion Seattle Mariners. Negron spent three years (2022-24) before that as the Mariners’ First Base Coach. Before joining the Major League staff, Negrón was the manager of the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma in 2021, guiding the Rainiers to a Triple-A West championship.
Bill Murphy has been named the Pirates’ Pitching Coach following a four-year stint (2022-25) in the same role with the Houston Astros. Murphy helped guide an Astros staff that led all of Major League Baseball with a 3.61 ERA during his four seasons. Joining Murphy on the pitching side is Thomas Whitsett, who was named the Pirates’ Assistant Pitching Coach. Whitsett served as the Pitching Coach at Sugar Land (HOU/Triple-A) and was Houston’s Assistant Minor League Pitching Coordinator in 2023.
“We have talked a lot as an organization about being better on and off the field. We are constantly working on measures that will allow us to take our game to the next level,” said Kelly. “We believe this group will help us accomplish that. We have added some unique perspectives, postseason experience and success, and an enormous amount of baseball knowledge to our staff. I am excited to navigate the 2026 season with this group.”
A familiar face, Tony Beasley returns for his third stint with the organization as the Pirates’ Third Base Coach. Beasley spent the last 11 seasons (2015-25) as the Third Base Coach for the Texas Rangers and served as the Pirates’ Third Base Coach from 2008-10. Shawn Bowman was named the Major League Field Coordinator after spending most of 2025 as the manager of the Indianapolis Indians. Bowman began 2025 as the organization’s Assistant Director, Coaching/Player Development, and the Minor League Field Coordinator before being named the Manager at Indianapolis on May 16 when Chris Truby was promoted to the Major League staff.
Truby will return to the staff serving as the team’s Major League Infield Coach. He was named to the staff as a Major League Coach on May 16 after starting 2025 as Indianapolis’ Manager and the Minor League Infield Coordinator.
In addition, eight coaches from the 2025 staff will return to assist Kelly. Tarrik Brock (First Base Coach), Jordan Comadena (Catching Coach), Matt Hague (Hitting Coach), Raúl Hernández (Bullpen Catcher), Christian Marrero (Assistant Hitting Coach), Stephen Morales (Translator and Assistant Coach), Miguel Perez (Bullpen Coach) and Jonny Tucker (Assistant Hitting Coach) will all return to the Pirates’ coaching staff in their same roles for the 2026 campaign.
The Pirates also announced the following updates to the Major League Sports Medicine and Performance staff for next season:
Luke Novosel has been promoted to Head Major League Athletic Trainer after spending the 2025 campaign as the team’s Major League Physical Therapist and Assistant Athletic Trainer. Joel Harris has joined the staff as the team’s Associate Head Major League Athletic Trainer after previously serving in various roles with the Boston Red Sox, most recently as the team’s Minor League Rehab Specialist. Tyler Brooks will join the staff as a Major League Assistant Athletic Trainer after spending the 2025 campaign as the organization’s Minor League Athletic Coordinator.
Alan Burr has been promoted to Head Major League Strength Coach after spending 2025 as the Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach. Glenn Nutting has been named the Assistant Major League Strength & Conditioning Coach after previously working with Indianapolis as a Strength & Conditioning Coach.
Kara Wiggins, who spent the last six seasons (2020-25) with the Toronto Blue Jays, has joined the organization as the team’s Major League Dietitian. John Regan, who had previously worked as an Assistant, Sports Nutrition in the organization, has been promoted to Assistant Major League Dietitian.
Ryan Jackson has been promoted to the Major League staff as the Mental Performance Coordinator after spending the 2025 campaign serving as the organization's upper-level Mental Performance Coordinator. Prior to joining the Pirates, Jackson worked for six seasons as a Field Coordinator (2019-22) and Special Assistant - Player Development (2023-24) for the Red Sox.
Additionally, Jeff Branson has returned to the organization as a Special Advisor, Hitting Development. Branson was Pittsburgh’s Assistant Hitting Coach in 2013 and Hitting Coach from 2014-18.