The Cleveland Guardians have made several changes to their coaching staff for the upcoming season, as reported by Mandy Bell of MLB.com. Grant Fink has been promoted to hitting coach, replacing Chris Valaika, who left to join Terry Francona’s coaching staff in Cincinnati. Additionally, bench coach Craig Albernaz will remain with the Guardians but has been elevated to the role of assistant manager.
Fink, who will turn 34 next month, had a short playing career in the Cleveland organization. He was drafted in 2013 and played in the minors until 2015, though he never advanced beyond Single-A. After his playing career ended, Fink transitioned into coaching in 2017. He spent the last three seasons as the Guardians’ minor league hitting coordinator. With Valaika’s departure, Fink will now move up to the major league coaching staff, marking the next step in his career.
Albernaz, 42, has recently been a popular name in managerial searches. He was linked to managerial openings with both the Miami Marlins and the Chicago White Sox. While the White Sox hired Will Venable and Albernaz withdrew his name from consideration for the Marlins job, his name remains prominent in league circles. Despite the interest, Albernaz will stay with Cleveland and continue working as the team’s top lieutenant under manager Stephen Vogt.
Before joining the Guardians, Albernaz spent four years on the staff of the San Francisco Giants, working as a bullpen and catching coach. His solid reputation in the coaching world led to his quick promotion in Cleveland. After one season as bench coach, he became a sought-after candidate for managerial roles, demonstrating the respect he’s earned across baseball.
Overall, the Guardians’ coaching staff shakeup marks a new chapter for both Fink and Albernaz. With these changes, the team hopes to continue building a competitive and dynamic coaching staff as they look to improve on last season’s performance.
