The Orioles are adding Brady North and Hank Conger to Craig Albernaz’s first coaching staff. Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner reported that North was coming aboard as an assistant hitting coach. MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reported Conger’s hiring as bullpen coach.
North had been an assistant hitting coach in Tampa Bay for the past four seasons. The 34-year-old had previously worked as a minor league hitting instructor in the Rays’ farm system. His first season in the organization (2019) overlapped with Albernaz’s year as a minor league field coordinator. North is now on to the second team of his coaching career. He’ll work underneath first-time hitting coach Dustin Lind, whose hiring was reported a couple weeks ago.
Conger, 38 in January, played parts of seven seasons in the big leagues as a catcher. He moved into coaching in Korea in 2020, holding a position with the Lotte Giants for two seasons. Conger returned stateside over the 2021-22 offseason to join Rocco Baldelli’s staff in Minnesota. Conger spent three years as first base coach and this past season as an assistant bench coach. He was also the catching coach for all four seasons. The Twins moved on from Conger when they brought in new manager Derek Shelton.
Assistant pitching coach Mitch Plassmeyer had been the interim bullpen coach. Plassmeyer and pitching strategy coach Ryan Klimek are expected back, as is pitching coach Drew French (link via Jake Rill of MLB.com). Conger will also be on the pitching side, working with a relief group that’ll probably be without Félix Bautista for the entire season.
The O’s reacquired Andrew Kittredge from the Cubs, the first of what should be multiple bullpen moves. President of baseball operations Mike Elias is already on record about wanting to add a closer. (Francys Romero reported last night that Baltimore was one of the teams that had expressed interest in Raisel Iglesias before he re-signed with the Braves.) Baltimore’s bullpen was 25th with a 4.57 ERA this past season.
North and Conger should get the O’s coaching staff pretty close to complete. They’ve also hired Donnie Ecker (bench coach), Jason Bourgeois (first base coach), Miguel Cairo (infield coach) and Joe Singley (catching coach/field coordinator) while retaining third base coach Buck Britton. Baltimore did have two assistant hitting coaches in 2025, so it’s possible they’ll add another voice on the offensive side to work with Lind and North.