Rangers Make Two Additions to Coaching Staff
The Texas Rangers announced through a press release on Thursday that the club has promoted Brett Hayes to bullpen coach and hired Seth Conner as assistant hitting coach.
Hayes, 38, will be in his fifth season as part of the Rangers staff, his first as bullpen coach in a full-time role on the Major League coaching staff. He previously served as the club’s coordinator of run prevention from 2018-21. Among his duties, Hayes prepared comprehensive advance scouting reports on each upcoming opponent with a focus on run prevention, while also leading in the communication of the information he generated.
Hayes had a 13-year playing career with the Miami Marlins, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and Rangers organizations.
Conner, 29, spent last season as a hitting coach with the Florida Complex League Twins in the Minnesota organization. He previously spent four years as a hitting coach in the Los Angeles Dodgers system from 2017-20, and he was slated to be at Class-A Great Lakes in the Midwest League for the canceled 2020 minor league campaign.
Conner also served as a hitting coach in the Blue Jays organization in 2015-16 at the conclusion of his playing career. He graduated from Logan-Rogersville High School in Missouri and was selected by the Blue Jays in the 41st round of the 2010 MLB Draft, appearing in 187 professional games.
The additions of Hayes and Conner follow the hirings of Donnie Ecker as bench coach and offensive coordinator on Nov. 1, and Tim Hyers as the big league hitting coach on Nov. 10. With the addition of Hayes as bullpen coach, pitching coaches Doug Mathis and Brendan Sagara will both be stationed in the dugout during games this season. Sagara worked in the Rangers bullpen in 2021.
Even after these hirings, the Rangers are still in the process of completing their 2022 Major League coaching staff.
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