Former Dodgers Coach Joins AL West Squad

Sam Garcia | Nov 4, 2024

Aug 16, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers have made adjustments to their coaching staff this offseason, including the addition of Justin Viele as a hitting coach on Monday. Viele, like much of the coaching staff, is coming from the San Francisco Giants.

In the 2010 decade, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy led the Giants to three World Series titles (2010, 2012, and 2014). Bochy also served as an advisor in the front office from 2020-22 before heading to Texas. At the same time, Viele worked alongside Rangers offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker on the Giants’ coaching staff from 2020-21. His pre-existing relationship with Ecker and his past experience as a hitting coach significantly contributed to acquiring the new position in Texas. 

Viele will replace former Texas hitting coach Tim Hyers. The Atlanta, Georgia native left the Rangers’ organization on Oct. 24 to take on the role of the hitting coach for the Braves, his hometown team. Viele will join Ecker and current assistant hitting coach Seth Connor as part of the offensive coaching staff.

Viele has big shoes to fill. In the 2023 season, Hyer, Ecker, and Connor collectively led the Rangers to securing the inaugural American League Silver Slugger Award. In the same season, Texas led the AL with 881 runs and won the franchise’s first World Series. 

This season’s team did not replicate the success of the 2023 World Series team as they failed to make the postseason and finished third in the AL West. However, the expectation of next season’s offense remains high.

Before coaching the Giants, Viele spent three seasons as a hitting coach in the Dodgers organization. He did not coach the Major League team but coached Low-A Great Lake (2019), High-A Rancho Cucamonga (2018), and rookie-level Ogden (2017). He also played two seasons in the Baltimore Orioles organization but never made an MLB debut.

In addition to Viele joining the coaching staff, the Rangers have made alterations to the front office. A string of promotions made former Rangers general manager Chris Young the new President of Baseball Operations for Texas. Additionally, former assistant general manager Ross Fenstermaker was named the new general manager. The order of power remains the same between the pair but Young and Fenstermaker have new roles. Texas also hired Cole Figueroa to fill the role of the assistant general manager.The revamped coaching staff and front office may help the Rangers find their way back to the 2023 World Series champions they once were.