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Pirates manager Don Kelly finalizes staff, adding new infield, assistant pitching coaches

Kevin Gorman
| Thursday, December 18, 2025 11:34 a.m.
Pirates manager Don Kelly watches from the dugout during the home finale against the Athletics on Sept. 21, 2025, at PNC Park. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly rounded out the rest of his coaching staff by hiring Chris Truby as infield coach, Shawn Bowman as field coordinator and Thomas Whitsett as assistant pitching coach, the team announced Thursday.

They will be joined on Kelly’s staff by Kristopher Negrón as bench coach, Bill Murphy as pitching coach and Tony Beasley as third base coach. Negrón fills the void left when Kelly was promoted to manager when Derek Shelton was fired May 8. Murphy and Whitsett replace Oscar Marin and Brent Strom, while Beasley takes over for Mike Rabelo and Truby for Mendy Lopez.

Additionally, Jeff Branson has returned to the organization as a special advisor for hitting development. He was the Pirates’ assistant hitting coach in 2013 and hitting coach from 2014-18 on Clint Hurdle’s staff.

Returning in their roles are first base coach Tarrik Brock, catching coach Jordan Comadena, hitting coach Matt Hague, assistant hitting coaches Christian Marrero and Jonny Tucker, assistant coach and translator Stephen Morales, bullpen coach Miguel Perez and bullpen catcher Raúl Hernández.

“We have talked a lot as an organization about being better on and off the field. We are constantly working on measures that will allow us to take our game to the next level,” Kelly said in a statement. “We believe this group will help us accomplish that. We have added some unique perspectives, postseason experience and success, and an enormous amount of baseball knowledge to our staff. I am excited to navigate the 2026 season with this group.”

Where the others are newcomers to Kelly’s coaching staff, Truby finished last season with the Pirates. A former minor league infield coordinator, he started the year as manager of Triple-A Indianapolis but was promoted to the major league staff May 16.

Truby worked extensively in spring training with shortstop Konnor Griffin, who won a Rawlings MiLB Gold Glove, was named minor league player of the year and is the consensus top prospect in baseball.

Bowman, who began last season as the club’s assistant director of coaching and player development and minor league field coordinator, was promoted to manager at Indianapolis to replace Truby.

Whitsett joins Murphy in coming to the Pirates from the Houston Astros, where he was pitching coach at Triple-A Sugar Land after serving as minor league pitching coordinator in 2023.

Negrón spent last season as third base coach for the American League West champion Seattle Mariners after three years as their first base coach. He was manager at Triple-A Tacoma in 2021.

Murphy spent four seasons with the Astros, helping guide a pitching staff that led the majors with a 3.61 ERA during that span. Beasley, the Pirates’ third base coach from 2008-10, returns for his third stint with the club after 11 seasons as third base coach for the Texas Rangers.

The Pirates also announced changes to their major league sports medicine and performance staff for next season.

• Luke Novosel has been promoted to head athletic trainer after spending last season as physical therapist and assistant athletic trainer. Joel Harris has joined the staff as the associate head athletic trainer from the Boston Red Sox, where he was the club’s minor league rehab specialist. Tyler Brooks will join the staff as a assistant athletic trainer after spending last season as minor league athletic coordinator.

• Alan Burr has been promoted from assistant to head strength coach and will be joined by assistant Glenn Nutting — no relation to Pirates chairman Bob Nutting, per the club — who was promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis.

• Kara Wiggins, who spent the last six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, is the new dietitian. John Regan, who had previously worked as a sports nutrition assistant in the organization, is assistant dietitian.

• Ryan Jackson has been promoted to major league mental performance coordinator after serving in an upper-level role. He joined the Pirates from the Boston Red Sox.


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