LAS VEGAS -- New Orioles manager Craig Albernaz now has his right-hand man.
Baltimore is hiring Donnie Ecker to serve as the club’s bench coach, according to a source. The club has not yet announced or confirmed the move.
Ecker, 39, spent the past four seasons with the Rangers, who hired him as bench coach and offensive coordinator prior to the 2022 campaign. Entering ‘25, Texas removed Ecker’s bench coach responsibilities and had him focus solely on offense, before he was dismissed on May 4. He won a World Series championship with the team in ‘23.
Albernaz and Ecker overlapped on the Giants’ staff during the 2020 and ‘21 seasons, when Albernaz was bullpen/catching coach and Ecker was a hitting coach.
Ecker’s MLB coaching career began in 2019, when he was the assistant hitting coach for the Reds. He previously coached in the Cardinals' and Angels' Minor League systems from 2015-18.
A Bakersfield, Calif., native, Ecker is a former infielder/outfielder who was taken by the Rangers in the 22nd round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He played in Texas’ Minor League system in ‘07 and ‘08 before moving to independent ball from 2009-10.
Ecker will be taking over a role in Baltimore that was previously held by Robinson Chirinos, who was the O’s bench coach for only the 2025 season. Chirinos is not returning to the Orioles’ staff, according to a source on Oct. 31.
Albernaz knows the importance of a strong bench coach, as he held that title in Cleveland in 2024, before being promoted to associate manager in ‘25. The 43-year-old worked closely alongside Stephen Vogt, who is the two-time defending American League Manager of the Year.
The Orioles are also adding Dustin Lind as hitting coach and Jason Bourgeois as first-base coach, according to sources. It is not yet known whether the other spots on Baltimore’s staff will be filled by new faces or returnees.
Lind spent time with Albernaz and Ecker in San Francisco, where he was the Giants’ director of hitting and assistant hitting coach from 2020-23.
Former hitting coach Cody Asche and former first-base coach Anthony Sanders were hired by the Tigers. Former assistant hitting coach Sherman Johnson was hired by the White Sox, while fellow assistant hitting coach Tommy Joseph isn’t returning, per a source. Former interim manager/third-base coach Tony Mansolino is now the Braves’ bench coach.